r a part of
1861 and 1862 traffic piled up along the young railroads extending from
St. Louis and Chicago to Buffalo, Pittsburg, New York, and Philadelphia.
But before 1863 these lines, notably the New York Central, the Erie, and
the Pennsylvania, had adapted themselves to the trade which the South
had thrust upon them; and never since secession has New Orleans regained
her place as the great outlet of the Mississippi Valley.

The fundamental change in the direction of its trade added to the
prosperity of the North. In the additions to the transportation system,
made to accommodate the new business, new railroads were less prominent
than second tracks, bridges, tunnels, and terminal facilities. The
experimental years of railroading had passed before most of the lines
learned the importance of city terminals. The growth of the cities and
the rising price of land made the attainment of these more difficult
than they need have been, while city governments and their officials
learned that illicit profits could be made out of the necessities of the
railroads. The great lines, active in the development of their plants,
and consolidating during the sixties to get the benefits of unified
management, added to the bustle in the cities in the North.

[Illustration: THE RAILWAYS OF THE "OLD NORTHWEST"

Showing the development between 1848 and 1860, upon which the Civil War
prosperity of the region was based]

The United States was an agricultural country until the beginning of
manufacturing and the revolution in communication made it profitable to
concentrate people and capital in the cities. Between 1850 and 1880 the
number of cities with a population of 50,000 more than doubled. The
actual construction of the houses, the water and lighting systems, and
the sewers for these communities gave employment to labor. As cities
grew, their more generous distances brought in the street-car companies,
whose occupation of the public streets added to the temptations and
opportunities of the officials of government. The swelling manufactures
increased the city groups and gave them work.

The country life itself began to change. The typical farming families,
developed by pioneer conditions, had remained the social unit for
several generations, but these felt the lure of the cities which drew
their boys and girls into the factories. Domestic manufactures could not
compete in quality, appearance, or price with the output of the new
factorie