New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-09
. Gauge. or Railroads.

eG From the Galveston Cviian.i N
Few persons are aware OF the injury which has
been inflicted on the public, in almost every Sec
ton where there are railroads, by the dlnsrences
in the gauge and want of direct connection, eua-
bling the cars 10 pass over long distances without
changing cargo. The conflicting views of engi-
neers as to what is the best gauge are usually a.
! legged as the reasons for these differences. .a .
| The Liverpool and Manchester railway. planned
/ and executed by George Stephenson, was opened
1 thrty-sx years ago with steam locomotive power.
The gauge Of this road was ffty-six and a half
inches, being that of the coal roads then in use.
Three years afterwards Parliament authorized the
construction Of railway from London to Brming-
1 ham of the same gauge, and it has since grown
| into the London and Northwestern railway, with
| TIA miles Of road, on which have been expended
over ffty-tw0 millions Of pounds sterling The
Great Western railway was incorporated 10 1885 /;
Mr.. J. Kingdom Brunei was elected as engineer,
and under his advice the gauge Of seven feet or
eighty-four inches was adopted. In 1s45 there
were about 2lOo miles Of railway in England in
operation, Of which 1860 miles were Of the narrow
gauge Of ffty-six and half inches, and 240 OF
the broad gauge of eighty four inches. The mag.
nitude Of the nuisance was such that Parliament
undertook to correct it, and instituted inquiries
to the remedy.
"Forty-six witnesses were examined, including
engineers locomotive manufacturers, managers
secretaries and carriers. -Four employees OF the
Great Western were In favor of the broad gauge,
opposed to break of gauge, but gave no opinion
date gauge, with no opinion as to uniformity: five
were for intermediate gauge theoretically, against
broad gauge and were favorable to uniformity, and
thirty for uniformity and narrow gauge. They
considered the improvements already made had
obviated all the difficulties which the narrow
gauge formerly presented. The commission re-
commended that the gauge Of four feet eight
inches and a half be declared to be the gauge to
be used in all public railways then under construc-
ton, or thereafter to be constructed, in Great
Britain.h &sa tV NJ
The continent has profted by the dear bought
knowledge and experience Of England, and France,
Belgium, the Germatiic States and Italy have
adopted the uniform narrow gauge OF ffty.six and
| a half inches. fT sMsaI 81 .HHfaa
The mixed gauge in England proves clearly that
the narrow gauge cannot be inferior in real rail-
way power to The broadtgange for pas seBger goods
and mineral traffic, and in all but passenger traffic
is acknowledged to be superior for the carriage
| Of freight Of all kinds.
| The want Of connection between different rail-
roads is the source of frequent complaint in the
| United States but it would be tedious to cite
cases.
The act of Congress of the Sd of March, 1863 to
establish the gauge of the Pacific railroad and its
| branches, decides that the gauge of the Pacific
railroad and its branches throughout their whole
extent from the Pacific coast the Missouri shall
be and hereby is established at four feet eight and
one-half inches" The Southern branch of this
road is intended to connect with the Texas roads
and the Importance of making that connection
actual and prompt cannot be oyerrated In decid-
ing an important suit growing out Of question Of
the kind Justice Reed, of the supreme court of
Pennsylvania, said, few days since, that this
action on the part Of Congress was most wis e
and prudent measure, which shond be followed
by tie States and the general government in sane
ticnng any future railroads. The advantage of q
uniform gauge, snch that of the Pacific railroad,
over the whole OF the United States, would be i'll.
calcuable, both in peace and war, as the same
locomotives and cars could be used on every road
in the Union. HRtr