The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-02-07
Cheap Railroads.


Cheap Railroads.
Moss. Edttors-For the benefit of your read
crs in Alamakee county, please publish the
following remarks: F
The project of a railroad from Waukcn, by
Paint Creek to the Mississippi river,. has been
agitated for several years, and at one time,
after careful survey of the route, hspcs were
entertained that it would be adopted by the
Company, who have since constructed the
McGregor Western railroad on the route by
Bloody Run. Now that it cannot, by any
probable means become part Of an extensive
line, the question arises, can a railroad of any
kind DO successfully built and operated, and
which is only "a miles in length 7 Any cx.
perienced railroad man wouii answer at once,
that a.frst.c'ass railroad, depending on the
business of an agricultural district alone for
support, OF less extent than one hundred miles,
cannot, probably, pay expenses and the inter.
est of the money invested. The objects to be
ascertained, therefore, by the people of Wan.
kon and the vicinity, is the practcability of
constructing cheaper kind Of railroad, that
will support itself and contribute to the pros
perity Of that part of the country. A plan
has already been submitted to their considera.
ton for building track wholly OF wood, and
SO located as to require but little expense in
grading, while the cost of transportation would
be reduced considerably below the rates charg
ed by other railroad companies. This result is
rendered practicable by the Introduction of
new system, recently, fully tested, in Eu.
rope. and improved upon by parties in the U.
s. by this Improvement great mechanical al.
vantages are gained, consisting Of tie power
to substitute very light engines AMI other roll
ing stock, for the heavy and destructive ma .
chinery now employed on ordinary railroads. -
These light ensin.e, BY means of a middle
rail and horizontal driving wheels, are enabled
to ascend grades and pass around curves. which
could not be attempted by the best first class en-.
9tnes erer built, quote the following state.
ment from Capt. Tyler, an-.minent English
engineer, sent by the British government to
investigate the results accomplished on rail.
road partly built over Mont Gems, in order to
convey passengers between France and Italy:
With an engine weighing ID tons 10 cwt.,
10 tons were drawn at miles per. hour, up q
grade mile and a in extent. aud rising at
the rate OF 4O3 feet to the mile, and passed
round sharp curve in the mountain on a
curve of 900 &c. radius!
This engine was enabled to maintain DOW
er OF 1853 horses. The heaviest grade be.
tween Waukon & Johnson's port is SO feet to
the mile. The engine described by Cau. Ty.
Ter could haul up this grade, on an iron railroad
track. 81 tons, Or ordinary cars weighing 40
tons, loaded with 1900 bushels of wheat, or
its equivalent, at the rate of miles per'hour
On wooden track Of the improved kind the
same engine could only haul up two light cars,
weighing 8 tens, and loaded with $50 bushels
of wheat, at the same velocity. By reducing
the speed to miles an hour, nearly double the
load could be taken up all the heavy grades
and the average speed, on the whole line.
which has an average grade of 30 feet to the
mile, would BE- IL miles an hour. Five freinbt
cars and passenger car might constitute the
regular daily train. on wooden track. taking
freight equal to 25 600 feet of pine lumber up
the grade, and 1900 bushels of wheat down.
The cost of a common, frst-c.ss railroad of
iron, including rolling stock, &C., through the
valley of Paint Creek, would be, at least Sls,.
600 per mile-total cost, $432,OOO. The wood.
en- track, with rolling stock, &C., where oak
lumber is cheap, would not exceed in cost
$500 per mile, or in all $Ss,sOO If the PEG
PIE interested in this matter will organize
joint stock company, with capital of 500, 900,
and subscribe half the estimated cost, or ga,
4oo, lbelieve, upon good assurances, that the
remainder will De taken by responsible parties.
The above remarks viii apply not only to
other localities similarly situated, but the i'm.
provements alluded to open the way for render.
ing all railroads more effective and more gen.
orally useful, net only by reducing the cost of
construction, but BY introducing economy and
safety in their operations, in relation to which
the present system is SO deplorab'y deficient
The time is East approaching in which South
McGregor will be glad to avail herself of an
Improvement by which heavy grades can be
readily and safely surmounted, not only as the
means of running cheap railroad directly
from this city southwesterly, but to facilitate
the construction Of an air line railroad to Chi
cago. RIGID. P. MORGAN.