American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-03-14
FoR THE WATcHMAN.

New YORK.
GENTLEMsN--Will you permit stranger-a
person not acquainted with one OF you ndivdually-
NOT even a citizen of the State, 10 address some oo
servations to you the valuable improvement that
you have proposed to make. My claims to be heard
on this occasion arise from having read and
thought much on the subject of Rail Ways, until
fully convinced that the time is not distant when
they will be found better adapted to the mere
Internal communications Of our country, than any
other mode yet made known to the world. admit that
where narigabte Caters are to be united, as In the
present instance, Canal, in general, ought to be
preferred to road; but matters Of this kind must
be under the control of local circumstances. An
mpracticable mountain might, for instance, exclude
both Canal and Rail Way aud as relates to the
tract where you propose to locate your road-its
arid character and the injury that mill streams
would sustain from supplying i, with water, are
sufficient reasons lor adopting the plan that you
have proposed My intention then relates almos,
wholly to the manner and means Of forming your
roa6-that it may become productive on
reasonable expenditure, and yet answer The purpose
efectually, for such length OF time as will enable
you to test the plan, and draw from it such share
OF profits as will authorize you 10 keep 1t IN per-
petuai repair. and perhaps make reasonable diyi-
dends, if you locate it in such manner as will assure
TO it a reasonable proportion OF business. And
here may notice one OF the advantages arising
the line Of their course suit localities, towns, &c.
without that kind of difficulty, nay impossibity,
that exists in regard TO Canals. / apprehend that
much injury to the community has been sustained
from Interested or preludiced persons endeavoring
to lead the public mind astray on the subject Of
Rail Ways. an6 keeping it fixed on Canals and
Turnpike Roads, and representing the former as
expensive either of the latter but this being
without any absolute experience on the subject,
consider great error.
True, much must depend as relates to expense
on the plans adopted and the modes of execution
but when the requisite care is taken In these re.
spects, it is presumed by the writer that the ex-
pense of Rail Way with double set Of tracks,
for going and returning carriages, and possibly with
third track for mail carriages or stages or with
a sufficient number Of "turn 0ats''-wI cost less
than Canal. Rail Roads may, it is true, be rem
dered very expensive by stone walls OF hewn mate
rials, and cast wrought iron ls-and there
persons among us who like magnificent plans,
without due regard to the necessity OF the
the circumstances Of the country.
In various parts Of our country ii is the custom
to build expensive houses OF iC00d and in all parts
OF the United States cur best bridges are made OF
that material; and why not then make Rail Ways
Of wood; when with ease they may be preserved
for or twelve years as we'll as tences-when like
fencing they may be repaired or renewed as the
circumstances oi the case will admit. Now, what
I propose is, 10 lay down plan for making Rail
Way almost wholly of wood, and OF sufficient
strength Tor every reasonable and necessary purpose
and to offer facilities in the construction, that
may lead 10 considerable economy in the execution.
/ begin by saying, let the managers procure suf-
Fl ieEt nunoer OF Butts of young and vigorous
trees Of the proper kinds, to stand along the whole
line OF road. at distance OF about four or five
feet from each other, (as may be agreed upon)--
let these trees be of the diameter Of l2 to is inch
es ctPar Of The sap at four feet above the ground
They ought to be taken up with portion Of the
hor1ontat roots attached TO them, sufficient to form
leueL bottom base for them to upon, of Two
feet in diameter. When procured they should be
laid up in some convenient situation to dry. or
the bodies Of those trees the rails may then be cut
at saw mill, of four inches thick, inches wide
and OF 4 to feet long, Gas may be agreed upon.)
and laid up in like manner to dry-free from the
influence Of sun and rain, and stuck in such man
ner as no, to become dotted before they are to be
made use of. In like manner recommend that
sufficient number OF pieces of the best tough Hick
osy or White Oak scantling, be provided, Of 4 ]
inches square, and laid up in like manner, to be
made use Of in covering the rails, when laid down,
by Sitting hem dagonally, in such manner that the
under surface will form base Of about inches wide,
and the upper surface presents triangle OF about
inches in height in the centre declining to half inc
each side. When all the aforesaid timber has
been and carefully provided propose that each
butt aforesaid shall De subjected to the opera ion of
machinery (to be driven by the power of wa er or
stean TO render the base which it is to rest,
perfectly fat-and the upper end on which the
rails are TO lie, with fiat of nine inches in diane
ter; and from them to the periphery of the circle
Tor OF the diameter Of the butts, to decline a, an
acute angle, intended to throw of the water or the
snow that may fall upon them, with rapidity.
Each butt to be made with hole in its centre Cat
the operation,) to receive the chair hereafter
mentioned Having made the above preparatory
arrangements and sufficient time having been allow
ed to suffer each article to become in consdcra
BILE degree exhausted Of its native moisture let each