Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-06-15

Va oWSASS w :" SeNA AAeISSi =,
tourists there are open carriages, will
lengthwise seats and awnings over
head and for the quarrymen, larg'
numbers of whom go up the line ev
cry Monday morning and return ev
| cry Saturday, there are low, opeI
cars, without. coverings, which eacl
carry dozen workmen. The CARR
age-aoors being raised very LITTLE
above the ground level, there is Nc
need for platforms at the stations
and one step lands US in the carriage
Leaving Portemadoc, we pass along
straight and nearly level embank-
ment, almost mile in length, which
carries the line over Traeth Mawr, OF
the estuary of the Beddgelart river.
This being crossed we Immediately
commence our ascent into the noun
tain country, the line from this point
rising the whole way until it reaches
its terminus; the gradients vary from
lin 6O.68.to, in l86-the average
gradient being / in go for IL IA
miles. We can hardly help crediting
the little engine with a conscious
pluck and determination'as it man
fully climbs these steep inclines. and
draws after it its long train of car
r;ooas and WAGONS. The line runs
through the most enchanting and
romantic scenery, and at times in
our upward journey we look straight
down into the beautiful, fertile val
ley below, three or four hundred feet
beneath us, and along it to the spark
ling sea beyond, while the rugged
rocks rise high on the other hand,
and we gaze up to the mountain tops.
On we 60, along our winding way,
turning and twisting, as the engine,
like thing of life, seems to choose
its mountain path with the incest
discrimination. At times the curves
round which we sweep are so small
and follow each other in such rapid
succession that neither the engine
nor the brake van can bo seen by a
passenger in the middle of the train.
and the train itself will be on three
different curves at once; at other
times the line takes a wide sweep
alor.g the side of great natural ba-
sin, almost doubling back upon Itself
as il seeks its way to higher ground.
The curves, indeed, form one of the
most marvellous features of this little
line. The railways nearly all curves;
in some cases they are not more THAN
l 3-4 chains in radius, yet trains
glide round them with the utmost
ease, olinging to the mountain sides
and following their outlines with un-
failing fidelity. Part Of the journey,
by the invitation Of Mr.. Spooner, we
perform on log of timber, some SO
or 60 feet in length this affords us,
capital opportunity Of Judging of the
of the line, and we are
no less surprised than pleased to find
that we pass over the line as steadily
and smoothly as in most first-class
carriages on ordinary lines. The log
is carried on a couple Of "bogie"
trucks, and its passage over the sharp
curves is absolutely impereptible.
AS we approach the upper end of the
railway we see, on either hand, sew
eral branches running high up into
the mountains to the quarlies, from
which the states are conveyed to the
port below. On all these, the gradi-
ents being very steep, the traffic is
worked by gravity, the loaded trucks
coming down to the quarry termini-
on the main line and drawing the
empty trucks up by means of large
windlasses. The return journey down
the main line is also performed by
gravity. Taking our seat in little
open car we make a rapid descent to
Po.temadoc, spinning along at the
rate of about thirty miles an hour
without either traction or propulsion,
thus serving to show us very forci-
bly, the gradients with which the
engine had to contend on the upward
journey,
For its whole course the line, as will
have been gathered, runs through "a
rocky country, yet, owing to the sharp
curves which have been available
through the use of the very narrow
gauge, cutting, tunnelling, &C., have
been avoided in a very remarkable
manner. The greatest cutting is q
feet, the greatest filling or embanS-
ment 60 feet, and there arc only two
tunnels in the l2 IL miles, one OF
1877 yards and the other Of 60 yards.
The amount of work done by this
little line is astonishing. In 1869
between. 5000 and 10000 tons Of
goods and minerals per mile passed
over it, and from 5000 to 5000 pas
sengers per mile, a traffic equal to
that on some Of our most hourishing
standard" gauge lines. Seven To-
comotives are employed. including
one "Farlie" engine, "The Little
Wonder" of which shall have more
to say hereafter, and the rolling stock
consists of IA passenger carriages,
50 quarrymen's carriages, 40 goods,
coal, and lime trucks, and 852 slate
trucks. The slate traffic renders the
working expenses exceptionally high,
inasmuch as the company have to
supply and keep ii9g repair two-thirds
more rolling stock Of slate wagons
than if the slate companies delivered
their produce at the upper terminus,
besides the cost of oil and grease and
additional stuff for the same; then,
all the, slate wagons have to run
empty one way over the whole length
oe tba limo Notwithstanding ..thiS