The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-05-04

same objects. can any one doubt the
expediency Of at once thoroughly exc
aiming the snbject2
do not know the mercantile me-
cessities Of the city, nor the geograph-
ical difficulties that may have to be
overcome, In building any such lines;
but l am satisfied that if there is an
opening for any other new means Of /
land traffic, the narrow gauge" will /
be the means adopted to meet the re- /
! quirements.
The objections may be manifold, |
/ but among them will certainly be /
\ found the loss and imaginary or act |
ual expense to be caused by deviating
from the guage of the roads in the |
neighborhood-the fact that feet 81 |
inches is now almost, and 4 feet 9 |
inches will probably be the national |
gauge of the United States, and the |
indisputable statement that no exist
ing line has a gauge less than that
first mentioned.
To some of these points reference
has heretofore been previously made.
but some important discoveries and
inventions have recently been made
public, of which space will only per-
NIT a summary.
A Mr.. Fairlie, in England, has in
vented and manufactured an engine
which has not only been successful
where tried, but bids fair to revolu-
tionize the style OF our locomotives.
i By it the Little Wonder" on the
Festiniog Railway, in Wales, on a
too foot gauge, weighing only twenty
tons, hauls from eighty to one hum
. dred and thirty tons exclusive of its
own weight, on o line whose grades
0 are from / in. 80, to the average,
} in. % feet to the mile, and with
curves of radii varying from ii to
( 4 chains, and has easily attai cd a
5 speed at the rate of 50 miles per hour.
!, The above information have taken
s from the English Engineering; and
e from an article from the London
, Times, copied into the american
r Railroad Journal. (of date April I'd,
t 1870 } 1t appears that representatives
j specially appointed by the Russian
y East Indian and Norwegian Gov
ernments, Captain Tyler, engineers,
e and other persons deeply interested In
a railways, attended an exhibition given
: by Mr.. Fairlie, and the result was
y that two engineers of eminence, Mr..
Fowler and Mr.. Fairlie, have pro-
r, nounced a three-foot gauge to be
i ample for all the requirements of
e India, and there were men of position
g in that party that went to Wales
e men with characters to lose-Who
o made, what seems to us, the hazard
70 Gus statement that on gauge of even
o two feet six inches, they would under
l. take, with the Fairlie engine, to work
d the heaviest traffic in the world-that
e of the London and Northwestern
"a Railway"
s. 1 cannot specify the conclusions ar
g rived at by the eminent Engineer, then
present. better than by again quoting
It from that article, that there was an
l. absolute unanimity of opinion
J. among all those who witnessed the
: working of that narrow gauge rail-
r road at Festiniog that the stand
c ard gauge of feet inches is far be.
W yond all ordinary requirements. There
IS may be some difference as to the pre-.
o else gauge which is best. Mr.. Spoon.
d er, engineer of the Festiniog Rail
J. way, strongly advocated a gauge OF
e two feet six inches, and he was sup
l. ported in this view by practical men
# Of great experience" Others thought
l. perhaps three feet would be better
but all appeared to be convinced thai
y a gauge much narrower than say -four
r feet eight inches, is capable of work
d which is at present little imagined in
- the railway world"
}, To those who would like to investi.
8 gate the matter, / would suggest the ref.
erence to Van Nostraud's Eclectic En-
: cheering Magazine, for March last
obtaiuable at Messrs. Fish q Barriers,
and the different railroad periodicals
:, to be found, | presume. at the differ
= ent book stores.
f will wind up this lengthy COM
& munication by asserting:
: LIST. That, though through lines are
G of great advantage, local roads are OF
h still more Importance.
" I'd. That although the direct re-
II Enumeration for outlay is of great in
: terest to every community, it will be
conceded that even the Gift of mon
r eys, within reasonable limits, and In
IS advisable directions, to aid in the con-
i struction of lines terminating therein,
g will frequently prove first class in
IS vestments.
{ Sd. That the direct receipts and
benefits, great as they might be, would
!, likely prove of minor account, COM
: pared to the indirect advantages, to
J be derived from such expenditures,
and
n 4th. That as expense is almost
j. the only formidable obstacle to be en-
9 countered in advocating the construc-
ton of new, or the improving of old
.. lines, any suggestion that would cause a
.. reduction in disbursements" would
!, not only improve the latter. but cause
= many projects, n0io considered hope
less, to be resucitat I'd, and many 9TH
ers to be brought forward and sue
! oessfully carried out, 10 the benefit of
all concerned.
> AS this city has given $500, 900 to
! the "Carmi line, if they can obtain
. greater, or even equal benefits at less
+ risk or expense, the subject is well
= worthy of consideration.
! Should anything in this letter cause
: an advance in the general prosperity
to be made, your object will partially,
and mine wholly, be fulfilled.
p Yours. truly, Il. L. NJ.
= EVANSVILLE, May 2, 1870.
y |