American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-04-01
RAIL ROADS.

RAIL ROADS.
The Phtsburg Mercury contains memorial IL
the Legislature in favor OF inquiring into the eyne
diency OF Rail Roads. The following extracts DE-
serve the attention OF every public spirited citizen
Many consider aiians have induced the citizens If .
this place TO their attention and direct their in
quries to the subject Of iron rail roads, and an Cpl
MON begins to be prevalent, that they can be eoua
in point OF utility. to canals. In England where The
facilities OF intern communication exceed those Of
every other country in the globe, rail roads are now
receiving decided preference over canals, The
reasons given for this preference understood 10
be the following: That they are cheaper in their |
orlginal construction, that they easier kept in
repair, that they Afford equal facilities for ranspot.
tation, that where accidents happen TO them, rs.
pairs become necessary, no soppage is pu, 10 the |
course of trans porta,ion whereas il an accident hap
pens in locks canals il repairs become neees.
sary season oil transportation may be entirely los;
the accident the Schuylkll canal, which has pre-
vented an immense quantity OF Iue from reaching
Philadelphia this winter, is . case in point. Nodr.
lay can take place en- rail roads such is ncidenln
The passing of locks the speed with which the sam:
distance Of route may be passed over rail road
is therefore much 10 its favor. But that which is
consideied most important is that III dry 'easoas
there is no da, ger Of failure, in we, seasons oa-
Jury, or in seasons OF frost OF total s'oppage.
These last reasons would Justly appear 10 have
great weight. when the making canals through our
mountainous regions is The subject of d'scusslon-
We are all perfectly aware, that the smallest rlls
are al some period OF the year, sweed into torrents
that sweep eyety thing heioie them with irresistible
fury, and that the ingenuity OF man becomes impo
tent In raising mounds and walls to oppose Their
force; nor is it less matter oil socltude when e'
hccung on This SUBJECT, that however minute may
be the calculation as to the durability and certainly
oil strea Oh the summit level, all estimates may
fail in d season Of unusual aridlty. Blu, the aisu.
ment Of great and imposing weight in deciding PIE.
ferences upon this subject. would appeal 10 be- that
Ia canal must be closed by frost, for at least iouF
months OF the y,ar. and that at time when Toe
quantity OF goods 10 be transported would be hs
most abundant, whereas a rail road would DC ai"als
Tree from that embarrassment, and secure 70 US INC
transportation when our own canal, II we nae oue'
and that of the state Of New York would be equally
useless. The cost OF the New York canal has mol
been much less than IL 600 dollars per mile per-
haps exceeds il. Thai a canal could not be maue
at less expense to pass through the mountainous
parts of Pennsylvania, will probably be dIscosedoy
the report OF the con mssoners who have betha p
pointed to view the route rail road having s'
elevation Of degrees in mile, might, II is suppo"
ed. be completed from the Juniatta to some na''sp
BILE point on the Kiskeminias for 5000 dollars lNt
mile; and the whole route from Phifade'pha "
IPittsburg, leaving navigable streams out OF ''"
might DC completed at The same rate
We are not to be misunder sood as asserting 'pa'
la horse on rail road will draw much as on ca
nal. All that the friends of iron railways insist upon
is this: That the transportation OF goods Oh ,'n
Dad from Philadelphia to Pitts urg, can be ano'a'.
icheaper, infinitely cheaper than 1t can De aho'os'
from New York to the same point, or 10 any ha''ba
Bile poin. on the Ohio from tina, city. ..
The argument Of your Memorialiss IS o'say
this THAT the state of New York is the ony ua'.
lgerous commercial rival Of the state OF PennsyH.a
mia. That by means of rail ways which eau " "
completed al lis OF the expense, and IN one 'i's
OF the time that will be requisite Tor the comPie",.
Of canals, shall be able successfully, to COUP.
lin transportation with that State. That py W." wi,
simple and easy means Of communication We a"p. s
become the carriers tor the trade OF the We,e'
waters; and, that the plan proposed, at al ees.
BILE, is better adapted than that of canals 10 ou'
sources and The general economy OF our hao''s ~"
that it will have the ihcalculable advantage OF -
tanning in their present employment the mnlea ,s
numbers of our meritorous citizens VINO no" "
rive their subsistence from our peculiar system :
| inland transportation. =,
1t is finally better adopted than the other " vSl
manners and our views and will have PoWs:;
tendency from the quantity OF iron 1t VIII iequ,h
/ to give new life and ygour to our EXTENSIVE S'
lishments for the manufacture OF that metal
IomS QuIScY ADAMS, President Of the United o.'S NJ
was born in that parf of Brainrce, now called eu"''
the 1ith OF July, 1857.