Railroads impact on Washington

Railroad Essay Can you imagine living in a car for six months? If not then try to imagine how hard it would be to be living in a wagon that is always moving. Everyone having to pitch in by either collecting firewood, walking beside the wagon to make the load lighter for the horses, or taking care of seven or eight children, the exhaustion knocking you out every night. Then when you finally get to the land you travelled so far to get a piece of, there is more work then thought. The railroads changed all of that worry and hard labor. On September 8th, 1883 the railroad came to Washington State making almost everything a lot easier. The railroads had a major influence on Washington’s development. The railroad affected the economic, geographic, and psychological aspects of Washington State. The railroads allowed a rapid increase in Washington’s economy by providing a quick and easy way of transporting goods to the rest of the U.S. many new jobs were created after the building of the railroads. Utilizing the trains allowed for an economy on a larger scale while also creating many new opportunities for most Americans. People in Washington were now able to buy a wide variety of things, and have these things delivered to them within days (Artifact R). Also industries could now have a significant change in business by shipping goods to the east. These industries included timber, dairy, marketing and farming, as well as many others (Artifact O). "... A ton of wheat (33 bushels) one hundred miles at a cost of no less than $12, or $2 per day which is equal to $0.36 per bushel.." (Artifact F) There became easier access to the land when the railroad lines came, which also brought up the value. "... If the railroad rate is one-half or one-third the wagon rate, as is usually the case, it will save enough to add a hundred per cent more to the original value of the land..." (Artifact F) The Railroads changed the geography of the North West’s enviorment, landforms and the