American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-08-09
From the Wilmingtonian.
RAILWAYS.


The shirt for internal improvement having ex,
tended itself TO almost every section OF this country
il becomes the duty of every individual in the COM
mupity to lend his aid TO promote the execution OF
the great works, already commenced and commence
ing, and at The time TO suggest such others,as
appear likely to be Of general BENEFIT. NO one need
fear that too much will be attempted while the pc
cuniary and physical powers OF the country main
tain their present condition; and oil we presume
will allow that these materially advanced by the
completion Of every great public improvement.
! Witness the Canals of New York; when these
were FIRST agitated, there were not wanting thous-
ands Of highly respectable and Intelligent indWd.
uas, who believed that the attempt was most CHM
erical and who doubted, the ability oil the Stale
4 itself 10 complete such an hetculean work But
since the most sanguine expectations OF The great
Clinton have been realized. by the successful CON-
pletion of these Canals, and since the Proh arising
to the State 10 so immense, no one doubts but that
New York may complete any WORK she IS disposed
10 undertake. Other States can 40 the same, and
all ought to keep pace with age, and where they
cannot make Canals, let some other Improvement
of equal or greater importance be commenced.
n There are some districts OF country IN which
Canal cannot be made from the want OF water ano
which from the fertility OF soil and improved stale
of cultivation, have vast surplus produce lhat
Yields little or profit TO the grower, the distance
10 market being so great, that almost the whole
of TRANSFORMATION. To the shipper OF produce as
well as to the consumer 10 sea-ports and man
ufacturng towns, it is an object no less important
than to the grower that it should DC conveyed 10
market with the least possible consumption Of lis
value, in expenses OF carriage. The county OF
Lancaster is perhaps the most productive one 10
Pennsylvania but owing to its distance from nayl
gable water, a large portion OF the value OF Its pro-
ductlons is lost 10 the inhabitants, by the cost oil
carriage. This then is section OF country perhaps
not altogether suitable for Canal but which will be
Q very materially benefited by Raal-,ony
e BY measurement on the map, Wilmington and
Lancaster appear 20 be about 46 miles distant in
direct line while Lancaster and Philadelphia are
e about 66 miles apart, thus giving difference IN
{ favor oil Wilmington Of 90 miles, or nearly one
third OF the whole distance to Philadelphia. II then
4, rail way to navigable water be desirable to the
e inhabitants of Lancaster County, the preferable
e point Of communication, certainly, is Wilmington;
e notwithstanding il is 50 miles by water to Phadel-
phia for so cheap is the transportation between
these places that bushe Of wheat the price VIII
not exceed three cents, . barrel Of Hour seven
cents and no doubt their prices will be rednced on
> an extensive business.
le For particular information relating TO rally ways
81 the reader is referred to he new Edinburgh tncy'
clopedia vol Is, article Rail way, where II VIII DC
rr seen that The Editors extract from The best inei"
E gence on this subject, in England and Scotland,
where rail ways have been long in use, and are pre-
y, ferred 10 Canals for many obvious and Important
ne reasons-for instance, The cost OF laying down a
10 rail-way is but about one half that OF CANAL
Oh not liable to injuries from heavy rains as Canais aS
lit is not subject to leakage absorption, or evapc
ur ration, like Canalsfros snow and ice, when a-
% stroy navigation Tor part OF the year, and are e'
quently the causes OF great damage TO the oahks,
dams, reservoirs. suices ard locks OF Canal, na'I
no material feet on rail way. Compare next me
difference in The expedition OF transportation ny
utmost speed that can be allowed on canal is aoou'
Wy three miles an hours because greater rapidly 'hah
of this, tends to wash and destroy the banks ana 10"
icy ing paths while railway carriages CT oufue'
- may travel miles hour with horses ana oy
ne means Of locomotive steam engines, II is beeVeo
in England, that stages for the conveyance OF pa
sengers or light merchandise may be propelled 'c'
ve miles an hour These facts shew Us that rail-
nd, are greatly preferable Canals, and we hazard III
re tie 10 prophetic declaration that they VIII DC 'e'
ns common in this country within the Approaching
has half century.
res From the Encyclopedia extract the ioIo"
me ing
ss "Under all circumstances it is found that horS
,en- works only with about three times the load 0"
AVID Canal that he does upon well constructed rail wa,
OF which is now sought after as the highest improve
Tor = .I.. ,,,,,,,n;,o,;o,, of
aver country IS susceptible Immense ioaes oi my
e and upwards have been tracked on a.rail-way,
one steam wagon. Thirty and upwards nav
been mored by one horse on a level rail way. w
at can state that an active horse weighing ten hunoe
ess weight conducted only by one man upon wen CO.
ing structed level edge railway, will work With ten 10,
ling o! goods IIearly equal to 100 bbls of iour)
and expense Of trackage is pretty much me san" 6
will both systems, Grail ways and Canals) while the n,
cost and consequently the tolls or dues, must