The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-08-10
THE REPORT OF THE CHIEF EN-
GINEER OF THE BLUE RIDGE
ROAD ON THE NARROW
GAUGE.


TO the Directors Of that Road i'll July
Inst. ia which he examines the merlls
of the '.narlow gauge" system, as ap
plicable to the contemplated enterprise
1t is a pamphlet OF thirty-six pages
and presents an elaborate review o
the wholc question, and gives clea'
exposition of the arguments in detail
which have convinced his own mind
of the feasibility and proprie'y OF
the proposed change. ..-....
MARROW gauges" vary from two to
four feet, and advocates may be toan''
among competent professional men
for almost any width. between these
two extremes. But three feet
gauge is that to which opinion most
generally points. and it is that upon
which the estimates Of the present
report are based. The report pro.o-
seq to answer the following questions
Can locomotives Of this gauge b.
{ constructed Of sufficient power and
speed? VIII the passenger cars be
safe, comfortable and attractive ?
Can freight cars be built of conve'
nient size tor. .the purposes Of the
traffic? Can all the probable traffic:
be accommodated without over.crow.
ding tho single track? To all OF
these enquiries, !. satisfactory reply is
given, in the results Of :. detailed and
elaborate investigation. =. 49,
From the days OF Brunei and Ste
'phehson the battle has waSed hot and
heavy between the advorates Of the
7 feet and tho fectS! inches grade
Brunei advocated the wider gauge as
giving increased stability to the loco
motive, and greater power aud speed
The experience Of forty years. how
.sycr. has demonstrated tho scundncSs
of Mr.. Stephenson's Judgment anu
the superiority Of the narrower gauge
jim attaining the same speed with
J. out the same waste of capital.
80 The superior claims of still mar
rover gauge, can bs even more clearly
exhibited, in reducing the cost OF CON
struction and tho working expenses.
The report estimates that in a mode
ryately difficult country where it lis not
+ necessary to resort to maximum
grades or sharp, curvatures, there viii
hc q saving Of expense in construc
a. tion of 80 per CO t.. in grading and
bridging, and 42 per cent. on track
: a result very near the usual estimate
of two thirds the cost Of tho common
e. .6rauye roads. Whilst with the adep
tion Of the high grades and SHARP
curves, practicable onthc 3 feet guagc
there will be q saving Of onc-haif O
tba work, and reduction Of th'
length of the remaining portion Of The
read from l47 10 $50 miles. H..
Again IN the way Of working ex
penses, the report estimates, that tn
d. narrow gauge may te Operated 'fo
Is per cent. less than the wide; ant
instead of the usual proportion OF ex
pcnses to. gross receipts Of 20, p!
cent, tho ratio of the narrow guas'
expenses 10 receipts would be 523 pc
cent.
A conclusive argument in favor o
the marrow gauge" is drawI from th'
fact that the estimates Of cost givel
!, in the report, show that our choice i
limited to ehoosing between marrow
gauge. and none at all. Under th'
bead of s'6nahcial prospects" Colone
Low makes the cost Of comp!etin:
the Blue Ridge Railroad with the fv'
feet gauge s7.5+0,o00; to which mus
bo added s80o,ooo for retiring the ole
Z. debt and paying the floating debt
Toward this sum Of ss.340,000 th'
proceeds from the -four million endors
ed bonds will be realized. say at eigi,
ty conts, SO 200 600; which will Ieav,
s5,14O,O0e to be raised by cash sub
scription to ps'ferred stock. lh
adoption of the three feet gauge. h
:, estimates, would result in saving o.
construction and equipment equal t
ss,14o,OOO, leaving to be raised b
cash subscription to preferred stoc
only s2,ooo,ooo.
49,. Besides, tho report shows the redu'
ed cost of construction, will enab!
~ tho narroY guage to pay some Z pc
cent. interest on the capital invested
whilst the wider gauge will only pa
three per cent, . 1.,...t,
The conclusions of the report seer
70 BE- entirely satisfactory, and to Al
ford a practical solution of .hoso'dif
rult;cs which 20 far have provente