Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-12-24
N I 3 e. e l. L A n z O Z -


RAIL RoADs.-A writer in the Ohio Statesman who
says he has examined Of the rail roads in England
and France urging the construction of the rail road
from Xenia Columbus Cleaveland In his remarks
he says:
/ would suggest that the + rail. weighing SIS
lbs 10 the yard, be used on the main line. and that
~ little wood be used as possible; would fol-
low the construction Of the Liverpool and Man
chester, and the Providence and Stonington rail-
roads, using no mud stills, and simply bedding the
sleep firmly in a gravel bed; and would use
for sleepers burr oak logs. feet long and to 10
inches in diameter, having one side blszed with
an axe, to give bearing OF 3 or 8 inches.
These logs with their bark on. will last much
longer than any sawed timber The sawed oak,
used generally in Ohio. will not last above four
wears; whereas, l am Of opinion that the logs Of
burr oak. If they be well bedded and covered with
gravel will last fifteen years. and perhaps longer
The cedar and locust posts used on some of tie
railroads in Massachusetts have been down since
1899. and good as when first laid
The sleepers, or ties. would lay ) fee, apsr, from
centre centre, and the rail should be nailed to
1hem, spike on either side Of the rail, and at the
ends Of The rails would the iron chair
with lip the inner side, which is gener-
ally used for The 4 rail.
As regards the grades OF the road. l would pre-
fer a heavy grade 10 4 short curve. 1t ,s gener-
ally thought that 40 feet rise in mile should not
be exceeded. but the improvements IN the con-
struction Of locomotives. authorize a grade OF co
feet in the mile: In confirmation Of this, l will
state the performance Of locomotive m ade by
VIM. Norris, in Philadelphia. who has sent many
to England, and he has lately made large con-
tracts with the French government. as also with
Austria and Russia. His Improvements have eli
cited the praise Of every one who has tried his
engines and such is the demand for them. that
although he turns on, one every five days, ye, he
finds il difficult to meet the demand
APPORTIoSATE ESTIMATE RAILROAD FROM
COLUMBUS TO CLrAvEIAND-
Cost Of approximation for one mile.
So tons r. rail. IS los. to The yard, sos, 1920
S.3GS five inch spikes, 900
664 cas.-iron chairs, I76
l7GO burr oak sleepers ties, l76
Dressing and adjusting seepers and laying
iron, 300
1851
suppose the road to be graded G feet wide,
and average cut or fill feet, would give
172,7S yards at S cents, S2,59l
Bridges and culveI,s per mile, 1000
Total per mile, sIO,I72
In regard TO Eastern capitalists taking
stock, he says:
As l am well acquainted with the requisites Of
the Bostonians in such matters, if it should be adj
vsabe to place the stock at once in Boston, GER
tain preliminaries must be gone through be fore
the capitalists there will invest. The road must
be located de6nieIy-an exact measurement OF
all the excavations and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
all the bridges-the cost o! the ri ht Of way; and
estimates must be made Of The probable cost Of
every description Of work and materials. Then
statistics Of the actual amount Of ravel-of the
actual amount Of freight and its nature-and to
this may be appended NOT exaggerated estimate
Of the increase of travel ana freight. and what
would probably be the receipts Of the road for the
first ten years:
Armed with these documents, and fair char
ter. 60 to Boston and put your stock in the mar
ket. and you will find no difficulty in obtaining
$500, 900, on the terms have mentioned above;
provided you can show suficien. business to war
rant the expense-bearing in mind that they only /
look to the profits Of the road, while the ci,izens
Of Ohio expec. to reap their reward from the in
in the value of their property. and the ia
cility Of getting their produce to market.