Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-04-29


vav, among those residing along route; and as
il cons rsciion must contribute largely 10 lie sources
of rcven from millions ALREADY invested. Ear beyond
our own limits no spprehensions need be felt that
means will be wanting FOR It's immediate and Efficient
prosecution, If proper steps be taken TO secure them
In the opinion Of the committee. thtse s;tps are TO
begin at home. trke stock in the road the extent Of
our means, commence operations and conduct them
IN manner to inspire confidence the prudent and
discreet management Of the company.
But have the ability to undertake this enterprise
at this time This question las eived tie clusest
attention Of the committee; and while they have nc
hesitation in giving aft Inatve answer 10 it, they
desire 10 place before their fellow citizens interested
in the matter. the upon which they base this
opinion. preliminary question, however, requires
to be determined. After what class of road should
the ST. Louis and Cincinnati railway be constructed
Should 1t be flat bar edge rail. double single
track, stone wooden bridges Because the original
expense must, 10 great extent, depend upon which
Of these plans be adopted.
1.-The general principles be lost sight Of in
determining this QUESTION the maximum of traffic
and the minimum Of expense" - No saving is pro-
6iabe that curiails business, and expenditure is
wise that does increase it," When il is consid.
cred that this road is intended to be part Of The
main channel through which the trade and travel Of
the country must flow and west that il will at
tract these from all Sides for many miles, and often
from the remotest parts of the Union; the immense
population west of us, whose productions VIII seek
market, and whose wants will be supplied over this
road; and the tributaries from right and left that will
swell the current. how should we compute " the maxi
mum Of its traffic !" 1t will be conceded Ia be sUfiz
cent TO the construction of the best class OF rail-
roads. The results of experience abundanily show
that wherever it is object To a railway,
it is to the last degree desirable to obtain heavy
rail. On several ruads where light bar was origin.
ally laid, it has been replaced by better adapted
safely 10 permit rapid travelling, sustain the severe
shocks incident heavy trade and admit Of ron-
slant and economical USE" In repor; Of the Drec-
tors of the New York and Erie Railroad Company to
the stockholders, February g. lS40 the following Ian
guage Is held in reference these considerations
as applied to that roed the trade Of which is similar
10 that which will centre upon the ST. Louis and Gin
cinnati railway. " 1t was believed that with plate
rail the road would be wholly inadequate to The travel
and transport which 1t ought, and If properly con-
srncted, assuredly would command that ii would be
unsafe for passengers-would be subject TO enormous
expense for repairs. and could not be economically
used for the conveyance of tonnage; whereas with
heavy rail- il would be competent all its Objects
could be worked with econOmy-would require but
moderate expense for repairs and would be so much
more productive and valuable, 10 justify tie conf
dence necessary TO render easier TO accomplish its
construction on the plan of enlarged expenditure
than TO carry out that originally proposed. The plan
" originally propo-ed" TO build cheaper road.
without regard TO the business likely 10 be drawn 10 II
Il
reason and experience concur In the policy of con-
structing a railroad to meet the demands of great
thoroughfare in the most permanent and secure
ner and with all the accessories necessary to acli
tate rapid. convenient and secure travel and traus
port.
If this be true in regard 10 the roads upon which
it is mainly predicaipd, and which have cost from
$4,000 to $4,000 per mile, it hardly admits of
question applied to the ST. Louis and Cincinnati
road running it does through a country well
adapted, throughout It's whole extent, TO improve
ments Of this character and where heavy items Of
expenditure In most eastern railroads, such as dam
ages for right of way. tunneling, heavy grades,
curves extending distances between points, high
priced grounds for depot buildings, &C.. may be In
part or wholly avoided. With these Advantages the
difference between the cost of cheap and good rail-
way is limited to the additional expenditure neces
sary TO make solid bridges permanent supersructures
and heavy rails and fasichings, in place of rickey
bridges, himsy superstructures, and fat bars. Tie
committee have therefore their estimated cost Of
the road mined include all the expenditures neces
sary for grade CT weny-fJur feet wide, for double
track, substantial masonry, slight grades, heavy edge
rail and suitable fastenings, depot buildings, water
stations superintendent, engines cars, AID all the
appursena necessary 10 the proper equipment OF
the road 4tr.seltesed this meets the category with
which they set out, Of ada ting " the maximum OF
traffic to the minimum of expense"
The distance from sTerrc Hauie, Indiana, to the
Stale line southeast of Richmond, is l43 miles, and
thence to Hamilton, Ohio. So miles, and from the lat
ter place to Cincinnati 20 miles, making The whole
distance POI miles. The 20 miles between Hamilton
Cincinnati is part of the railroad at present con-
siructing between Cincinnati and Dayton, and need
not be taken into account which will leave Isl miles
TO provide for between Hamilton and Terre Haute-
charter has been granted by the legislature of Ohio
to construct the ST. Louis and Cincinnati railroad from
Hamilton to the Safe line, and another by that OF
Indiana TO extend it from said point, the State
line, 10 Terre Haute These charters are liberal in
tLeir provisions and allow the prosecution OF the
work to progress gradually or speedily the means
of the company may be adequate. Richmond, lndian-
apolis, Terre Haute.and Greencssic are tue points
made in the road BY the charter of Indiana. all OF
lem situated on the National Road except the
latter 81 miles north of il. The route being thus
parallel with that of the Cumberland Road through
out the State, the survey and estimate of this, made
by Capt. J. Knight in 1925. affords US data for an
approximate estimate of the cost of preparing the
road bed for the railway. il will be borne in mind
that the grade of the Cumberland Road IS thirty and
that of the railroad Will be twenty -four feet.
The total expense of masonry, clearing off timber.
and grading from the Ohio and Indiana State line,
f24 miles, to Indianapolis, is S2O3, 429 II, being an
average of S2,6l5 50 per miles and thence to Terre
Hauie, 40 miles, the aggregate of said expense is
S247, 800 rs, averaging So, 532 50 per mej making
the whole distance l424 miles. at aggregate ex-
peuse of S450, 100 53, or S3l74 33 per mile. In
the report accompanying these estimates. Cap. Knight
proceeds say, limestone is abundant the east
fork of White Water and its branches in Wayne
county, in the vicinity of Richmond Some are found
on the of tie west branch, afer which, with
the exception of detached rocks near Blue River, tho
principal branch of Drifwood fork Of While River.
the stone for masonry will generally have 10 be hauled
considerable distance. T.epric of mason work
at CHI pont is assumed such as the distance seemed