Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-18

the former. hut as 10 tne latlei, I'LL ~ IN
valuable when governed by prudence, and then
only it is invaluable. Irecollect very we'll when
the coal trade, and even the making inland navi-
CATION in our country. was IN disgrace to the eye
of the public: but neither is now. The public IS
now extra hot in the same degree as it was extra
cold formerly. The coal trade IL now large, as
well as respectable, in the opinion of the public;
hut there are no doubt ten times as many In the
trade, and as many canals and rail roads talked
of to transport coal to market, as there are mar
kets for the article. Can this. then be an enter
prise wanting a spur; or what can the numerous
canals and rail roads contemplated be worth, if
made! A canal has two advantages over a rail
road, besides the economy of using. Their num-
Der of sites are known, and they are limited by
water; and if they are made faster than the wants
of the country, occasioned by a feversh state OF
the public mind, or by any error of Judgment,
they do not decay whether used or not, except
the lock gates and wood work, of which there is
very littl: since hydraulic lime has been brought
into use. | believe that a rail road can be made
strong. solid, and true enough, to not ohly admit VI
a speed upon it of six miles an hour, but eve2sslx-
ty miles an hour, for a short time; but l do not
believe there will be economy in going more than
six miles an hour with heavy loads, unless lbs
with passengers, valuable goods, &c. which Will
bear heavy tolls. Our Company have no reason
to dislike rail roads-ours has undoubtedly saved
$50, 600 already: but, BY our canal. we now go
an equal distance at one fourth the cost of the rail
road.-But a canal cannot be made to the mines,
so we resort to the next best thing.
]. l.. Sullivan saws, &" The Stockton and OAR
lingtOn Road is certainly kept in the best repair,
and is the best constructed rail road now in op-
Grafton in England. Cast rails have been tri-
ed but maleable rails are principally used, and
decidedly preferred by the proprietors."
This road has been made about five years, and
since that time they have condemned the old plan.
But what say they of the best English road in Oc-
tober last? The London Mechanics Magazine,
of Oct. 1929, page al, has the succeeding obser-
vations:-.' The speed Of the engines has been
increased OH the Darlington Road. by substituting
wheels of four feet diameter, instead Of three feet
but these working on the plane bars, cannot be
case-hardened. for fear they would turn round
when they have a hard pull; consequently. they
are made of soft iron, which, from the immense
weight of the engine, wears them in grooves, the
width Of the rail, and twists them sideways.whlch
keeps men necessarily on the line setting them
straight"
So, we find so wears experience in England is
condemned. and all that we now have, worthy OF
our notice, are the experiments of a few days or
hours, and these are leading Brother Jonathan by
the nose. Thus much for the best abroad in
England. But still | aEoW they may make them
stronger, although not so as to prevent those et-
fects in a greater or less degree, if a speedy mo-
ton Is resortcd to, particularly with a locomotive
engine, as the stress necessary to pull the load,
impinges through the wheels on the road, and thus
the joints of the road are pulled together between
the wheels of the engine and the cars, so as to
keep up an incessant action in the rails.
l.. S. gives US credit for constructing our rail
road at a cost of $3.50 per mile; no one has the
Company's authority for this; our statement was
S5O50 mile. and most Of it was laid on an old
turnpike and single track.
The Manchester and Liverpool Rail road is
not a fair comparison for other ail-roads; neither
is the Novelty engine justly cited as a standard
by which others are to be judged. The quantity
Of valuable merchandise passing between the two
towns is said TO be 1900 roas daily, and the pas
sensers only il is supposed. will produce Sl11,112
per year. The whole length of this road is but
SO miles and half. They can therefore afford
to constructit in a manner approaching as nearly
to perfection as possible. The novelty has had
but a limited trial; our last accounts made it
amount to a period of about six hours. Itwould
pdttti' Dc pluueIt 20 invest iilliionS OH d IiinS
that was not as durable as Jonah's Gourd. 1t
NAV do we'll: Ills a neat affair enough, but it
would De safer to wait a wear or more before We
pronounce it entitled co fill faith, or consider it
of such amazing utility, with - other data for our
decision than the result of six hours experiment
ing. Its boi;cr carries but SIS gallons of water,
which is the main cause Of its l~ishtness. To pro-
duce the requisite steam, the evaporation must
run rapidly from this S. gallons of water, and
if the supply pump does not correspond with the
making of the steam for a few moments a blow
up is the inevitable consequence.
To compare rail roads and canals by dollars
and cents, as far as we have practice and expert
ence for orr guide will, no doubt, be coming near
er the point the public desire to attain. And
whether it is gratifying to some or not, we, | trust,
will all find that economy in the use of the i'm
provements resorted to is the one thing needful,
in which the public at large is most interested in
having accomplished.
The annexed calculation is estimated from the
cost, &c. of the Mauch Chunk road. But that
part Of it only from the summit down to Mauch
Chunk, being eight miles, descending the entire
Jisf,nco and fha ybola n,ypad hv . c;noIa cop,