The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-06
From the New York Evening Post.
RAILROADS.

Besides the difficulties which have always attend
ed all plans for the improvement of property In
New York by railroad enterprises, there is now an
additional one, in the shape of high price to be
paid for railroad iron. Experience has shown that
no railway is worth making, unless it can be made
of heavy pattern, and laid on the best foundation
and in the most substantial manner. Future expe-
rience will show just conclusvely that, in select
ing route, that must be chosen which is most d.
rect and which admits of the most rapid transit
To that point public opinion has hardly yet reached
for we find many who are likely to control some of
our projected works of this nature advocating the
doctrine that curves and high grades matters Of
little consequence, nasmuch as locomotives can be
made to go up hills and turn corners. The laws of
gravity and friction, in the mean time, remain UNI
changed, and will continue to operate upon the
movement of every locomotive, and the transporta-
ZION Of every ton of merchandise.
After resortng to various expedents during past
years, with view to reduce the quantity of iron
quired, common consent Of stockholders directors,
and engineers has finally determined that the heav-
Ter the rail the better. AT present. this is a matter
of very serious consideration; for, with the increase
of the price of iron in England, the cost of railroad
iron has advanced prodigiously-or, rather, as is
generally supposed, the real and speculative demand
for railroads has so increased the demand for rail-
road iron as greatly 10 enhance the value Of that
and all other kinds of iron in Great Britain.
In addition to the enhanced cost of iron in Eng
many years to come, there is a duty to be paid
which, being part and parcel of the tariff of 1912
must remain there long that tariff shall be per-
mitted TO bear down upon the commercial interests
of the country. This duty being specific, fortunate
ly for railroad projectors, does not advance with the
increased cost, but 1t does advance with each in
crease Of weight
The tariff organ of this city, in an article on this
subject makes the following assertion:
"Stand by the tariff and we will have homemade
railroad iron at $40 ton before Folks term is out"
The Morning News, in its comment on this state.
ment, shows its incorrectness in this way;
"What Git asks) do the American iron masters
wan: of protective duty at all, when English rail-
road iron will cost $50, and they turn it out on
contract at a less price than S6O''
The Tribune, perhaps, will reply with common
and sometimes very specious argument for pro-
lection, that if iron manufactures were once estab-
lished thoroughly with us we should be independ-
ent of the foreign markets, and therefore could
tinuc to furnish railroad iron at low cost in spite
of their advance in price.
Ii this were SO, why is it that in all articles of
iron manufacture the advance has taken place al
most pari passu? Why is it that nails, an article to
which the capital, the raw material, the rate of in
terest, and the skill of the establishments in this
country, are all equally well adapted, and in which
they have obtained just monopolyi Why is it
that they cost more at this moment in New Orleans
and 81. LOUIS Than they dld SIX months ago! Inc
increase in the price of iron in England has reached
them. In spite of tariffs, and in the teeth of all COM
mercal letters, the great operative causes must
produce their effect.
To return to the subject of railroad iron, let us see
what will be the difference in this branch of the cost
in the 500 miles of road between this city and Lake
Erie
In 1885 the cost Of the iron for five hundred miles of
the New York and Erie railroad was estimated
at
In l64l, in consequence Of the change
in the weight Of rail proposed, the es-
innate was increased to-. ............ 100000
At the present price of iron, it would not
be possible to furnish rail of the
proper form, with the requisite chains,
spikes, &C., for less than. ......... 5000 900
The increase in the amount of revenue derived
from every well-located railroad in this country and
in England is in much greater proportion than
this and there is nothing in this item Of cost which
should cause any to hesitate about embarkng at
this time in any enterprise the details of which are
well arranged and the affairs of which are free from
embarrassments. We have adverted to it in order
to show that no contrvance of legislation could have
prevented the present state of prices in this articles
and that while it would be unsound to ascrbe the
increased cost of railroad iron mainly to the tariff it
is absurd to say that, if the duty had been prohibit
DRY and iron manufactures more largely established
here, the country would have been supplied with
homemade iron at any lower cost.