Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-02-02

dsscTetf0n, II did not even cCpffufdfe. 3.
The Blue Ridge Tunnel, whose grades Of
20 and rs feet are used on both sides for
a distance af liz miles.
And now one word in reference to Mr..
Shaw's very natural desire to suppress
these rebellious "ereeptionais." There is
still profound silence as 10 the general
character Of the grades between the mouth
of Greenbrier and Richmond. only
asked such information in relation To The
line by Stanton as have frankly given
in relation to the line through Lynchburg.
| lam no, afraid to give the fullest infor-
nation in relationto the route proposed by
me, but the course hitherto pursued in this
controversy is not such as to encourage
me to give any more information, in dd
rance, at least Until receive an amount Of
light equal TO what have given.
The friends Of the Central Road in the
House seem to feel the same dread of in
vcstigation with their advocates out of the
Honse, as they have, this morning,in Com
miitee, refused TO allow the two schemes
to be discussed before the representative
of the people.
If these circumstances excited some
suspicion at first, it has been entirely re-
moved by information derived from late
number Of the Stanton Spectator, receiv-
cd since the last page Of this manuscript
was penned | refer to letter from j. NJ
McCue. ESQ, accompanied by one from
Mr.. w. d. Whitcomb, the Engineer in
charge Of the survey west of Staunton,
which will be found appended
With regard 10 the guage, the question
is by no means so firmly settled, even in
England, as Mr.. Shaw supposes. II a
guage committee did decide in favor ofrhe
narrow guage, have yet 10 learn that
the Legislative Committee are always in
failiable. Nor was the dispute confined
10 feet, 81 and feet guagcs might
quote great number of opinions from
practical men in England prefcrring a
guage wider than 4 feet 81, but it wonld
swell this letter too much. Some prefer
red feet, others feet inches, or 5 feet
6 inches, or feet. The Eastern counties
railway has a guage Of feet
BUTT is evident that tn. immense sums
locked up in narrow guage railroads pre-
vented total change ofplan in England.
In this country great number of roads
were finished before the question was agi-
tated, and the necessity for making connec-
tons with finished lines determined the
guagc Of new lines. The New York and
Erie Rail Road not connecting with any
other, felt untrammelled and fixed on
| r q AL c,
Lawrence Rail Road is 81 feet. Every
Rail Road South and West of North Caro-
lima, without exception is feet.
There is not Civil Engineer who has
ever had any share in the management of
railways of feet gnage, who docs not
greatly prefer it to that ofi feet 81 inches.
| believe that a large majority Of the pro-
fession in the United States prefer wider
guage than feet 81 inches. | believe
the best guage to be five and half feet
and in that opinion many practical men
concur with me.
When the Virginia and Tennessee road
was commenced, there were great num-
berof roads in progress of five feet guage
that arc to connect with US, which prevent
Ell me from recommending FIVE and half
feet
The widening Of the track over three
and half inches enables you TO adopt
much better proportions for locomotive,
which is, after all, the most important part
of a railroad. Take 40 inches for the di-
amet,r of boiler for locomotive engine,
with an addition of three and half inches
to Il C gunge, the diameter of the boiler
may be increased by a like amount. The
areas of sections through each boiler will
be as the square Of 40 inches to the square
ofl3I inches, which is an increase OF more
than is per cent to its power.
1t admits of the use of cars in which
there is less dead eight in proportion to
the bet weight conveyed. Finally, rail
road, with all its appurtenances is a com
Phcaled machine, and a wide guage, with
cars and locomotives proportional 10 it, is
IN reality an enlarged and more perfect
machine.
There is no necessity for adapting, in
Virginias road to the Ohio river, the same
guage as that used in OHIO, as no one sup
poses that the river will ever be bridged
where this road approachesit it. In Ken
,ueNy many Of me roads VII, undouotcd-
,. Use 'ne = 'ee'' n''rrsc 'ney connect
:" oou'n INIT roa"s OF . i'et guaSe'
".' M'ii'"S 10 assu'ne 'nat you are
r.s''' Ia inc correction ,. you MAKE OF my
s''''''''", 81 nm 'nt Instance between Lynch
p"rs ana i'''ii'' ., ~ may serve 10
s"o" you now eas''y "''Snt nave Deeh ,ed
.n'o I'l'I'. i'' en u 'n"' case 'lal
YOU "no "'u '.'' a' goo az III, opportunity
20 N'o" '''e run "s : "ao' o'u NOT correct
''''s n',s'aNe II" you, irs' reply 10 me. ~
may also serve 10 sfow now n'iilcuH 1t IS
!" " h''"u'e'y "'a'e "a sue" iiid''efs' 10
can your attention 10 the iact mat you your