Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-06-29
HORNS RAILROAD GAZETTE.

We have received a copy of this paper.
published in New Y ork City. it is devoted
to the interests of Railroads throughout the u
Mon, and contains Diagrams of various Rail-
roads in the United States. We copy the fol-
lowing articles from its columns upon the
general merits and improvements of RAILROADS
in America
Much has been said and more written by
foreigners, respecting the natural and innate
disposition of the American nation, to change
Their location and places of residence, and it
has also been often observed that the true A
merican would never rest contented without
attaining perfection in the means of convey
ance from one place to another. The mlgra-
ting disposition of our countrymen is proven
bal we know, and their inclination 10 outstrp
every other nation in all things is also mat
ter of proverb; but Notwithstanding this, We,
as a nation. have never reached that degree of
perfection in the modes of travelling. which
has been attained in the countries of Europe.
The facilities for travelling in our country
have within few years almost multiplied be-
yond belief. and every day we hear of new
plans and new projects for bringing into close
communication distant parts of this great u
Mon, and before long we expect to be able to
Chronicle tire complexion ef Railroad linking
together the two great oceans OF earth, over
which will be carried the produce of rich ORR
entail countries, from which our nation will in
crease its wealth, and grow in greatness and
importance, till she shall know norival on the
globe. The spirit of enterprise which glows
in the breasts of the citizens of almost every
State of the Union, is a sure prognostic OF the
success which our country must have IN the
great race for supremacy.
As yet, however, we are greatly deficient
in many respects-but our object at present,
is to allude to one thing, and that is, speed in
travelling. In England, the rate of motion on
the Railroads is from sixty to seventy miles,
while in our country, we are Obliged to creep
along al the rate of from fifteen to eighteen
miles per hour. This difference is entirely
owing to the different manner of constructing
our Railway tracks, and to the superiority, in
some respects, of the machinery used the
English roads. Our tracks are narrow. and
often laid with fiat rail, and the wheels Of the
cars are of single groove, while the tracks of
the English Roads are broad, and always laid
with Ii or L rail, and the wheels of the cars
are uniformly double grooved, which adds to
the safety and hence increases the facility of
fast motion.
The efficacy of double grooved wheels is,
we learn, soon, to be realized on the Hudson
River Railroad, and we expect that the sue
cess Ol LndL ROAD IN dnnlnlidtfHO lItI1e ana
space, will show to all interested in the con-
struction of Railroads hereafter, the necessity
of adopting every real improvement in the
mode of constructing Railroads and Railway
machinery.
That we can and hence that we shall, in
due course of time, be enabled to compete sue
cessfully in point of speed. with the Railroads
of England, and the other countries of Europe,
we are fully convinced. There is SPIRIT of
rivalry-of honrable rivalry characteristic
of the Anglo-American, which will inevitably
overcome every obstacle to success, and there
Is, moreover, enthusiasm in Ra lroad pro-
jects throughout the whole Uuited States,
which is indicative of certain superiority over
all other nations of the world, bothin the con-
struction of roads, and the speed of locomotion
over them.
Already do we see the result of this spirit of
emulation, in the enterprise of the companies
having control of the Railroads from Albany
to Buffalo.