Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-05-18
ARRIVALS AND DErAnrUwEs
Arrivals.
ri
THE NARROW GAUGE RAIL.
EOaD.

Public attention in this State has
been of late considerably attracted
toward the subject Of narrow gaugl
railroads. Between Virginia aud Gold
Hill, and Reno, on the TrucGce river,
n franchise is granted for 4 road Of thi.
kind, the survey of which Is just com
pleted. Ii can be constructed without
serious objection - TAR ~ the natural
topography ofthe country is conc, rIed,
and would doubtless prove to be 4 pay.
ing institution. The project Is Il good
and perfectly feasible one, whether il
is ever carried out OF not. The great
est objection to narrow gauge railroads
is that they are isolated, Is it were, to
n certain degree from communication
with the broad gauge, like the Central
Pacific Railroad, which traverScs our
State, in that the ears from n road
cannot run upon the other, Ecce ,Sitat.
;nc an announcement transfer of freight,
which would not be the case were the
gauges uniform, so that freight cars
could simply switch of from n road
70 the other. passing over each with
equal facility. Notwithstanding even
this objection, however, we have no
doubt that the narrow gauge railroad
could be very advantageO,lSly chi
ployed in the transportation OF ore,
freight and passengers between the
various mountain di>trirtS of this
State and the big railroad. The san
Francisco Bulletin says After much
and practical investigation of the mat
ter, there is 4 clear and strong convic-
ton TINT these roads will answer every
reasonable expectation. The relative
difference In cost between the narrow
and wide. or ordinary gauge, is very
great. When laid Owe I ~toierabsy
level country. the latter would cost
say S2l, 900 Il mile, tie narrow gauge
might be constructed for about $1,000
n mile. In Prussia, according 10 some
data which we find in the New York
CDmyerrid! .AdcertiSer, the average cost
of narrow-gauSe railroads is $1,000 per
mile. The It OF locomotives, weigh
ing twelve IONS, Is Sl,oOO, ana that OF
ears $500. 4 narrow-GauSc railroad
has been projected in Colorado. to be
known rs the Denver and Rio Granuc
Railroad, and to extend 4 distance OF
$50 miles. The estimated cost Is SS,OOJ;
width of gauge, W feet nine inches;
In Australia 80 miles OF this railroad
are completed. and $50 miles more are
proiected. From such data rs we have
4 good narrow-saugc railroad could
not be constructed and equipped for
less than IN average cost OF SlO,OO0 :;
mile. In some cases the cost wouiu
overrun these figures, and would PROB,
ably reach $4,000 4 mile. Iron anu
labor cost more here than in other
countries where the narrow-gauSc en-
pcriments have been tried. We shall
have entered on 4 new era OF develop
ment when narrow-gauSe railroads
wind into all the larger and richer
valleys, and the stage coach Is sup
planted by these small locomotives
The first road of this class, success
fully operated, will induce the build
ing of a dozen more /; and so III time
ali these agricultural and mining dis
tricts will be made accessible. Cheap
and rapid transportation has become q
matter of vital necessity. For this
reason everybody is Interested in the
practical working out here Of such cN'
pcrimentS ~ has bccn successful III
other countries