The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-11-03

k. MT. r. a N. H. X. Co.
This Company have recently issued
pamphlet pertaining to its affairs. There is
comprised in it report from the Chief En-
gineer, Jno. Adair Mcdowell, Esq, made to
the President of the Company, containing
some facts which we designed to have pre-
scented to our readers before this time. We
make use Of the report to show, principally,
the cost Of the first division, to Montrose;
that il will do the freighting business around
the rapids. because 1t can do the business
cheapest; what the amount Of that, and the
aggregate business between these two points,
VIII be and, the profit which it will derive
on the trade it will command from the mo-
ment the line is open. Avoiding details, we
give only the summaries Of calculations.
/. The cost with an entirely unbroken
gradient would be less than the average cost
Of western railroads, but with the maximum
grade Of fifteen feet per mile, which has been
adopted. the average cost per mile for grad
uation and masonry, including all prelimina
ry expenses, is about 500; making for the
whole distance an expense of 37,5l5 68
Iron, tie., chairs, spikes, track
laying, ballasting, freights,
tanks sheds and all incidentals, IA, $50 90
Rolling stock, $4,000 90
Total cost in running condition, $500, 1865 6s
.. Lighterage in flats and barges, as now
conducted. costs, at an average load and
stage of water, by what appears to us fair
computations, 81 81 per ton The average
charges for such service are So per tom
Under the arrangements of the Company,
freight can be more readily and less expen-
sivelv transferred back and forth between the
cars and boats than between the boats and
lighters. while the cost of power and man
agement Of a trains SO much less than that
OF lighters that freight can be transferred
and transported by rail at charge of so
cents per ton, with handsome margin for
profit.
3. The freighting business is estimated at
800 900 tons, but for possible contingencies
il is reduced TO 10000. At the low esti
mate of 1S4 passengers per day, both ways,
there VIII he $4,000 passengers per year.
The gross earnings for one year may then DO
summed up as follows
$4,000 tons Of freight, at
mean rate Of SOC per ton. $l0S,ooo
{ 900 passengers, at 40 cents, 2l,6oo
Mail and Express service, say 5000
$I32,600
Allowing for running expenses
and repairs, oo,3oo
Net earnings would amount to $ 66,3o0
which AMOUNT adds Mr.. Mcdowell, 9 is
Z" confidently believed to be thirty per cent.
9. less than must be realized. With this,
showeyer, for nett earnings on Ri equipped
"road of less than eleven miles, at cost in
"all of 1926, 1865 6S, we have for dividends
s'and interest t, S23 900 90, leaving surplus
'per annum Of S43,3o0 90, which | think
:. commends itself to the capital Of the coun-
sAtry.'s And so do we.
There arc some items Of interest to trade
and business generally, which are incident
ally alluded to, as showing the Importance
,.u;,,,;,ot o,,a bo;,,, . do.a;lad
e IA axroaa &c traasnort.t;on
ssN.sa-s.,a. !, -. W. riro these
W. -
go, 80 s''''.. = -.
Pm. ~, 80 eoo tn.
- 80 - n,o, 10 snro,nea
80
s.r..a,.h..ua &c ,5o .ons &c
fra;tl.f 5000 n0