The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1858-02-13

knows that these objects have not bee
effected with economy or profit to tn
stockholder. Great power and adhesion
is required for high velocitios or YER
heavy trains These elements can onl
be obtained by increasing the weight 0
all the machinery. The introduction 0
heavy 7 rails was supposed to admit o
it, but it has been an experiment bring
ing embarrassment and ruin on man,
railroad companies who have thus beer
led t. involve themselves by borrowin,
mon J for the purpose at high rates o
interest.
The cost Of grading and bridging ,
railroad across the prairies of Illinoi,
has varied in different localities FROM $500
or $500 to $500 per mile-the ties from
$1,000 to $500; iron and track laying
with 60 lb. rail, $4,000 to $1,000; frs,
outfit of buildings and rolling stock,
from $1,000 to $1,000 per mile, making
a total average of $1,000 in cash. I'm.
fortunately, however, these roads have
been built with borrowed capital and
placed in the hands of contractors whose @
sole object was to realize fortunes out of
them from $4,000 to $4,000 have
frequently been allowed them, and they
have often received bonds at a very little
less than their cash value Farmers nat
urally want railroads to cheaper trans
portatlon aud to add to the value of their
lands. They must build them with econ
Omy, in the simplest manner and on a
scale proportionate to their wants. 1t is
by no means necessary to reduce the road
bed to uniform grades, the natural undu-
latlons of the prairie will generally pre-
sent no serious obstacle to the movement
Of light trains. A light rail is prefera.
bic to a heavy one if light engines are
employed. Engines of 30 tons or up
wards in weight, now in use on many
railroads, have FIVE tons bearing upon
each driving wheel; they cost large sums
and are crushing or rapidly abraiding the
iron. An engine with six tons resting
on each driving wheel, has adhesive pow
er sufficient to draw 4S0 tons upon level
railroad; 40 tons over grades of eigh-
teen feet to the mile; and one hundred
the mile, or 100 tons of freight, equal to
34Up bushels of wheat, over almost any
railroad in Illinois The cost of running
a train per mile, with heavy rolling stock,
is, all things considered, admitted to be
at least dollar. With light rolling stock
expenses would be less; but allowing it
to be the same, the result will be found
greatly in its favor. The freight trains
coming into Chicago on several of the
prominent railroads have charged about
cents per bushel for wheat for distances
varying from 30 to 30 miles At one
dollar per mile for train drawing 30
/ loaded cars or 24O tons of frieght-s so
bushels of wheat-the actual running
expenses would be only six -tenths of a
mill per bushel. Allowing 40 cents per
ton for handling booking and depot ex-
penses, the whole expense Of transporta-
tlon Of a bushel Of wheat would be | So
cents. Making suitable allowance for ir-
regularity and inequality of loads, two
cents per bushels for 80 miles covers all
pcnses In many instances, however,
taOm 100000 to $1,000, 900 have been
borrowed on each 80 miles, for the CON
struction of the road, which, at eight
per cent, would amount to $500 per an
mum, to be taxed on the freight and pas
sengers; and in order to divide eight
per cent. among the stockholders, another
million must be raised from the earnings
/ Of the road.
The degree Of economy practicable for
farmers, where level prairie constitutes
the site for railroad will be very soon
tested. An association has been tormad
for the construction of cheap railroad
with light machinery, from Chicago
through Plainfeld, in south-westerly
course. Farmers will take it in hand,
will control it, exclude speculation and
the credit system.-Cor. Of tie Dem.
Press.