Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-06-07

wheels, On even the best made roads
The draught in the most level road ye,
made. may be said to be continual M
hill work. Indeed were it not Tor the
velocity acquired by a carriage in mo-
ton, the distractions presented by an
intervening stone, OF small size, would
be altogether insurmonntabie. Ii is not
surprising that horse on a railway
should be able to draw SO much more
than On the best made gravel road or
causeway. And as the very essence OF
the railgoay principle is to present uni
form track TO the wheels, unencumb er-
ed with distractions OF any knd, there
fore the more these circumstances are
understood, the NOR general Will be the
desire 10 have ra,tways extended in eve
ry quarter.
II England and Wales the plate rails,
With stone props, seem TO have become
general but experience has since shown
that the edge rail possesses many al
van'ages over the plate or Hat track -
and maleable iron is coming every day
into usa Tor edge rails.
The usual mode of laying railways is
10 place the upper surface OF the rails
small distance above the level oi the
horse track. The consequence is, thai
the cresttng or stn6fng on each side is
continually coming IN contact with the
wheels, TO the great disadvantages OF the
dranght. AS these earthly matters can
Dot be supposed Of the smallest use for
keeping The rails in their places, i, Is.
much better to 1ay the rails so as 10 be
7vholy ab9Ue the level oftne horse track.
Such cons ruclion gives addiionai la
oiIitics fer DRAINAGE; and uay be term
ed a skeleton raitway, from the whole
structure beng e%pused 10 view. This
deScripi ion of railway has been applied
III Practice with much advantage in Sc
verai situations, parico iarIy at Lord
Elgip's extensive coal and lime works.
The wagons ON cast iron rail roads
have not received the i'nprov OF
which they are capable but with their
present disadvantages, the following facts
will cyince The great saving OF animal
force to which railways have given rise :
First, With deciivity oil "a inch per
yard, one horse takes dow nwards three
wagons, each containing tons;
.Seconaly, with rise OF Clio of an
inch pr yard, one horse can take 9 tons
npwar6s
Thirdly, with feet rise in Go yards,
which Is 5lo OF an inch per yard, one
hsrae takes tens upwards;
Fourthly, on the penrhyn railway, be
! ing the satne slope as above, two horses
draw downwards iour wagons containing
oDe ton Of stats each.
FT1hIy, with slope OF IS feet pei
mile, one horse lakes ifom IL 20 s ions
downwalds and 4 ons upwards together
! with tie empty wagons
Sixfhfy, at Tyr, one horse draws on q
level wagons, each containing one tor
OF Goals
Seuehthly, on the Surrey railway. ont
horse on deciiylty oi one incn IN lC
feet, can draw SO quarters Of wheat.
Admitting the great utility OF an inter
change VI carriages to and from the CON
moD road, there IS still another beside
ra.urn 10 the railway system, That Of rails.
i4g tie 7Uagens from one level TO ano
| tier, 50 as 10 admit, in an undulalInl
tract OF country, OF the power OF ,h'
horss icing uniformly eXerted upon
level or slightly inclined road aud al
though vartouS hians and sngSeStion
nave been made applicable to sne loca
situation Of respective districts, they art
more or less bjeclionable OH account 0
he application of various machines
moved by the powers of steam, water
wind aud animal power, in perpsndi
cular lit or upon an inclined p ane
and again, il is hardly to be expected
ina, any single plan can be found 20 pos
sess universal character OF practical
uulty.
1t would appear from the foregoing
remarks upon thls Interesting subject
many OF which have had the sanclon o
experience, that the form OF the rail has
been greatly improved, BY adopting ,ht
edge ran IN place o: he .fangea or fat
Rail, even 10 doubling tbs effect, horse
drawing 10 tons on the one, as easy as
on The other.
Cd That substituting mallea5ie iror
instead OF cast iron offers all adduiona
Improvement as ii IS considerably cheap
CT, and less APT 10 get out oil SHAPE.
Sd. That constructing wheels oi 1900
rather than that OF cast metal, would ht
an improvement With respect 10 ptict
and durability, but more especially wit
respec. To weight.
4th. That rail vvason canno, be we!
constructed to sui, an ordinary road Oh
street.
5,n. That small wagons are bet,el
adam ed To railWaQs than Iaruer un..s