The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-08-30

den. closes recent report as follows:
''In every case where the narrow gauge
roads have been built they have realized ev-
cry expectation, and deem it waste Of
capital to build broader gauges, when mar
rover and cheaper will meet all requirements.
For as thinly settled country as this, where
the available capital will barely meet the
wants of The rapid industrial and agricultu-
rul developments, and where cheapness Of
transportation is OF so great Importance, the
narrower gauge roads may. in many locali-
tics, be we'll adapted, if not positively neccS-
sary, as they CAN be easily built, and at such
cost ;lat, with but small trafc, they are
able, not only to cover the cost of operating
them, but pay good interest on the capital
invested"
Words Of wcighty significance, which
sound as if they had been written for us, so
applicable arc they to the circumstances and
needs Of this community.
Mr.. Low concludes his report as follows:
"I might leave this topic here. but, in
equal jaSticc to the advocates Of the narrow
gauge, must add, that it is claimed by them
all that it is well worth paying the cost Of
freight 10 keep the cars Of each
road on its own line. The system Of inter-
change of cars is prolific in losses and dam
ages TO the different companies. One does
not gain what another loses, but all suffer
alike; and from common cause, namely,
that when off its own line, no car receives
that timely repair which, at home, would be
"the stitch in time" However bad be its
condition, if it can be cot off the hands Of
the parties at present responsible, and, like
Ginx's baby, put or on the next parish, en-
p!oyees rejoice in 4 sense Of duty performed.
Around the great terminal stations are bone
yards, filled with the remains of these vic
Tins Of neglect, whose owners are too far
away 70 care for them.
eft is also probable that the cost of trans
fcrring freight may be materially diminished
by special appliances for the purpose. For
instance, all articles in bulk, as grain or coal,
may be spouted from one car to another ny
an arrangement Of tracks on q different lev
el, and it is possible, By the use Of cranes, to
raise and transfer the smaller box car bodies
to fats Of the wider gauge. 1t will be sufi-
cient for this argument TO let the question
rest on the comparative money cost Of the
two systems.
Captain Tyler, the Government Inspector
of Railways in Great Britain, whose attain
ments and large experience give peculiar
value to his opinion, says: "Whatcvcr the
exact gauge, whether 2 feet inches or 3 feet,
or any other dimension which might be cons
sidered most suitable for lines of minimum
traffic, there can be no question that system
Of branch lines, costing two-thirds as much as
the branches now ordinarily constructed, and
worked and main ntained at three-fourths of the
expense ofthose branches, would be ofdccided
beuefitto Great Britain and Ireland and would
be most valuable in India and in the Colo
nies; in fact, wherever there are people to
travel, produce to be transported, or reSour-
ces TO be developed, when it would not be
commercially profitable to incur the expense,
in the firsr instance, of o frst-class railway.
4 + y = There seems no reason why
districts, which could not support railway,
of feet s! inch gauge should be altogether
deprived of the advantages of railway COM
munication. The question Of gauge is, in
one sense, . question Of speed. Speaking
roughly, on a railway Of two feet gauge, with
two feet driving wheels, travelling might be
made as safe at twenty miles per hour, as on
the Great Western, with 7 feet gauge and 7
feet Of driving wheels, at seventy miles per
hour. have travelled on parts Of this little
line Che Fcssipiog,l at the rate Of thirty
miles per hour, with every feeling Of safety.
"The adoption of the locomotive power up
on the Festiniog Railway is very important,
and has evidently been very successful ex-
pertinent. The cheapneSs with which such
4 line can he constructed, the quantity Of
work that can be economically performed
upon 1t, and the safety with which the trains
run over it, render it IN example which will
be followed, sooner or later, in
this country, in India, and in the colonies,
where it is desirable TO form cheap lines for
small traffic. or as commencement in devcl-
oping the resources Of new country"
"ro this record Of opinions of those in ev-
cry way qualified, by professional training
and experience, to judge the merits Of this
question, ! might add many and a daily in
crcasing list of names, but have already ex-
cecded the limits Which had proposed, and
gone far enough, l believe, to pat you in pos
session Of sufficient material upon which to
base sound judgment. close, therefore, with
the saying Of Mr. K. Fairlic: ''tha. it ought
to be engraved on the mind Of every cngi>
ncer that every inch added to the width Of a
gauge, beyond what Is absolutely necessary
for the traffic, adds to the cost Of construc-
ton, increases the proportion Of dead weight,
increases tue cost OF working, and, in conse-
luencc, increases The tariffs to the public,
and By so much, reduces the useful effect Of
tue railway"
--------------------
& Ccmmunistlc Community.
We learn Il at the Government Of the
United States will allow a large trans