Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1856-03-12
For The Standard

For The Standard.
MEssRs. EDIroRs Accident has recently placed in
my possession copy of the final report of the Chief
Engineer Of the North Carolina Railroad. Being
stockhoder in the road it is natural that should
read with interest report enanating from such a
source; and if in doing so, have stumbled upon
nnything that do not understand, hope it will
not be considered that am DER stepping the limits
of private stakeholder, if ask for some further
information.
The Chief Engineer in allusion to the cost Of
the road makes statement. which If correcct, e
tablishes beyond question his reputation for estma.
ting the cost of work in advance far beyond that Of
anv other Engineer of this country. / aude to the
statement to be found on the 18th page Of his
port that the actual cost falls short of the esti
mated cost $7,2S2." 1t is at this point have stum
blcd for being but simple body, and not like Mi
chael Capio "a great Arthmetican," cannot un-
derstand how it is that road which was estimated
to cost 81, ,405, 1872, and upon the construction Of
which it is we'll known-but perhaps had better
say generally believc-that at least 600 900 have
been expended can be said and proven to have cost
1892 less than the original estimate ] have stu
died with some care the proof of this extraordinary
assertion, but cannot somehow or other, make it
ont. Perhaps the difficulty arises from the fact
that have not the necessary faith in the report Of
Gov. Moreheat, which is referred to as proof That
report of the x-Presidcnt, made as it to the
Legislature, have always set down as of the Bun.
com6e order. And an examination Of it, l think,
Will convince most any one that it was never in
tended for serious consideration
But let me present my idea of comparison OF
the actual with the estimated cost. l have not the
data before me f''r going into thorough eXamina-
tion Of the subject All that can do is to present
some crude notions. derived from the report in
question, and that of Governor Morehead, to the
Legislature
The original estimate for the cost of the road was
$3 4Oo, l32. 1t Is not finished yet will be seen
by reference to the list of unfinished work which
appears in the report of the Chief Engineer; and
yet, as have before observed it is generally be-
cved that 81, 900 600 have already been expended.
IL this he SO, then there is apparent excess Of
cost Of $594,S6S. In Gov. Morehcad's report this
discrepancy, Tor rather oi $3.50, ,l6s, for it is
there estimated that the road when finished will
cost 81 ,235, ,30O) is accounted for by showing
increase in the estimate for equipment, the increas-
cd cost of iron, and an increased allowance for
gine sheds and houses for ovcrscers. Now let us
look into his explanation with regard TO iron. He
says, "of the q, 900 tons bought for this road 900
tons purchased before the rise and lS 600 tons
since ut advanced price of at least $22 per tOn
making the cost for iron at least 1896 0OU more than
| was anticipated" In the report to tile stockholders
| at Hisborouah in July. 1854, information il given
Of the contracts for Ion up to that time, viz: 1000
tons at $t4 75 per ton and 5000 tons at $50 per
ton, both exclusive of duty. And in the report TO
the Legislature arc informed that 1000 tons had
been purchased at $42 80, exclusive of duty also.
The duty the first lot would be abou, ST. % per
ton. the second lot about $l3 and the last lot
about $40 so; adding 10 each lot transportation at
! ST per ton would make the cost follows:
! 1000 tons at $62 per ton delivered S24S.O0O
| 5000 h" 90 &" d" 345, ,OOO
| 5000 SO " " 53l, Goa