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

& the tcTnllnl Of their respective
Dads. than in the general prosperity
# the community.
2. That in time Of war or in
It was of importance that /
he utmost facilities should exist for
he transport of men and munitions
which they illustrated principally by
the wonderful performances of this
country in the late lamentable strug-
gle, and in a smaller way BE- the ad
vantages they themselves, derived
during the Fenian raid Of
1866.
3. That from a commercial point Of
view alone it was advisable that trans
should never occur unless
unavoidable, or from a
change from land to water carriage,
or Uice UeTSd; and
4. That as undoubted evidence Of
the truth Of the last assertion,
the Great Western had expended
nearly two millions of dollars 10
putting down a third rail on their
track TO suit the gauge of their New
York and Michigan oonnootions-in
freight parlance known as the blue
Line and that the Grand Trunk p"
had for some time been trying to de-
wise some plan by which their Cana
dian lines - about 1,170 miles in
length-could be worked more salts
factorily as a through line, with
the 200 miles of their American
mileage.
Captain Tyler, r. e.. Railway IT,
spector for Great Britain, was en-
ployed by the q. It. r." to examine
their line, and especially to make sug-
gestions as to the most advisable
manner Of conducting their American
traffic. He made very able and
elaborate report, the only part oil
which, affecting my present topic, was
that by the use Of hydraulic engines
as used in England. six freight car;
could, by one series Of motions, bC
lifted from their respective trucks
and transferred to those of the larger
or narrower gauge, as the case smigh
require. and that an ordinary train
could be so transferred 10 twenty
minutes.
The use Of q passenger car for mor'
than three hundred miles without
thorough cleansing he considered I'M
healthy, no matter how apparent.
i convenient.
The freight question was, however
successfully solved by a Canadian in
vention, by which the axles of tn
cars could, without difficulty, b.
eIongated or shortened to suit tn
different gauges, and after some tw
years experience OF running produc
i . ..~w.r~l 90
to New York and Portland, the Com
pany has a short time since orderer
more Of the cars alluded to for tn
coming Falls business, and the ide
is now proved to be a perfect success
Those cars are known as belonging
to the " Green Line"
The different arguments were mos
fiercely contested before the Rail
road Committees" and also the PEG
pie who were asked to assist the diff
ferent enterprises before any charte
could be granted, and, at last, tn
test question was, should a marrow
gauge" from Toronto, 40 mile
north-westward, to Lake Huron, bt
permitted to conflict with a broa,
gauge from " Guelph" through, sub
stantially the same townships. Tn
first requiring transhipment at Toron
to, and the latter having the choice o
all existing markets, American, Cana
dian and European.
All the railroad interests were op
| posed to the innovation-what thei
opposition amounts to, all railroa
men know-and the innovators
were compelled to bring from Europe
contractors, engineers, and other
who had designed, built, and worked
the narTow-gauge routes In Nor
way, England, New Zealand, anC
! elsewhere.
After two years hard fighting
the "innovators" succeeded in obtain
ing their charter, and as a matter o
course the rule of the gauge having
been deliberately set aside, other char
tiers In Ontario" and Quebec" were
at once granted, aud a number of sucl
roads on the narrow" wooden
and other cheap principles are in full
blast, in addition to a very large ex
tension of their broad gauge lines.
Had the Investigations, hereafte
mentioned, been then known, there i
not any doubt but that the ammuni
ton of the directors would hav
proved worthless, and the applicant
have obtained their charters without
much trouble.
With this lengthy exordium which
however, could not in justice De cur
tailed, / proceed to make a few re
marks as applicable to this city.
The average cost of railroads il
this country has been, In round mum
bers, as per P0Or'S Manual, for 1S6
and 1870:
l. The New England lines. $4,000 per mile
2 The Middle States. 50 900 per mile
3. The Southern States....... 10000 per mile
4. The Western States.....-.. 1900 per mile
Which latter sum is the average fo
the whole country.
Our own "E. &C." by an ex
hibition of skill, perseverance anC
mastery management rarely found
has, up to the present, cost only $50,
900 per mile, not including interes
on net profits expended in improving
the line; but the management Of tina
road has been almost unique, so faI
as ecou omy, at least, is concerned, anC
the statement In the preceding para
graph, think, proves it.
We can not calculate for a certain.
ty, or even a probability, that oui
other lines will show as much FOL
their expenditure. If any one doubt,
this, let him take the details of ang
line at his option, and let him dispute
the facts as above stated, and show