"How does any one build railroads or telegraphic lines ?" he had said to Kate.

"Do they take the money out of their own pockets ?" Kate had answered that she did not suppose they did, unless the money was there; and Harry had told her, very confidently, that the money was never there.

No man, or, at least, very few men, could afford to construct a railroad or telegraph line.

The way these things were done was by forming a company.
And this was just what Harry proposed to do.
It was, of course, quite difficult to determine just how large a company this should be.

If it were composed of too many members, the profits, which would be limited, owing to the peculiar circumstances of the case, would not amount to much for each stockholder.