CHAPTER I

THE HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Significance of geographical factors, 1.--Toll roads before 1820, 2.--The "National pike," 3.--Canals and internal waterways before 1830, 4.--The Erie Canal, 4.--Canals in the West, 6.--First railroad construction after 1830, 7.--Early development in the South, 9.--Importance of small rivers, 10.

The decade 1840-1860, 11.--Slow railway growth, mainly in the East, 12.--Rapid expansion 1848-1857; western river traffic, 13.--Need of north and south railways, 14.--Traffic still mainly local, 15.--Effect of the Civil War, 16.--Rise of New York, 17.--Primitive methods, 17.

The decade 1870-1880, 18.--Trans-Mississippi development, 18.--Pacific Coast routes opened, 19.--Development of export trade in grain and beef, 20.--Trunk line rate wars, 21.--Improvements in operation, 23.--End of canal and river traffic, 24.

The decade 1880-1890, 27.--Phenomenal railway expansion, 28.--Transcontinental trade, 28.--Speculation rampant, 29.--Growth of western manufactures, 30.--Rise of the Gulf ports, 31.--Canadian competition, 33.--General résumé and forecast, 34.

Public land grants, 35.--Direct financial assistance, 37.--History of state aid, 39.--Federal experience with transcontinental roads, 40.