Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-07-06

ri'iit'os 81 WI
1Wv snikfs 20
2biO cross ties ut Wc........ ............... 7U2
Laying track 500
Total cost for one milc...............s200 5s
roR TnWEE FEET GAUoE--RAIL - Lbs. TO
THE YARD.
Right Of way, grading, ETC., average,
ud
10 tons rails at S7j per ton ................ 5000
w rail- spices ut 1c........ ............... lGj
800 lbs. spikes at 6c...................... 2li
DO cross Ties at 2Oc...................... 7Oi
Laying TRACK, 3lO
Total cost for one OOsO
balance In favor of narrow gauge s. 097U
Thus, then, assuming for example the
construction of u line OF road one hundred
miles In length, we have:
Cost of narrow gauge 100 milcs......s 81 COS 900
Cost OF broad gauge 100 milcs......... 2,0O5,700
difference in favor of narrow.....s gs7, 200
Ten per cent. interest on the s9W,-
700 saved In construction OF L..
h"ro" eauSc"'''''.'.'''...'....'." e5''O
Estimating tho yearly earning Of each
road at six thousand dollars per mile we
have:
Annual cuss II operating tho broad
gauge line one hundred m Les ........ $500 goo
Annual cost of operating narrow
gauge same length....................... 252, 900
'''Ni'hNN IN ittNO VI
This gives us nj the end of the yenr's one
ration OF the road, the following gratifying
hnlanee IN favor Of the narrow VA age:
Bal@nc~ta favor Of narrow gauge
III construction ........................ 1897 200
Interest on same AT ten per cent.
per Unnuin Observation-Disclosures. 90 10
balance in favor of narrow gauge
IN cost OF opcratlng...-..,......... los, 600
......sl ,20j, 40
This marked difference in first cost
and subsequent profits will not fail to
influence the public mind in favor of
The narrow gauge roads which will
rapidly become tributaries to grand
trunk lines and many of these feeders
will be enlarged into trunk lines as the
increase of trade may develop the ne
ccSsity. And in view of the fact that
railroads have become so essential that
no section of country can ignore them
as an element of commercial prosper
ity, attention is being directed to the
best and most economical mode of
raising the means for their construc.
ton. At recent meeting Of the City
Council of Louisville, an ordinance to
aid the Louisville and Nashville rail
road company in the extension of the
Knoxville branch to the Tennessee
State Line, was rejected by unani-
nous vote Judging from the tenor
of the debate, we infer that the citi-
zcus of Louisville have learned the
important lesson that il is time monop-
olics were made to take care of their
own interests without calling upon the
people of towns and counties To bur
den themselves with additional debt
and taxation, in order that conccn-
trated capital may extend its danger
ou- influence and add TO its vast accu-
mutations.
There is growing conviction in the
public mind, that the building of rail
roads, 10y corporate subscriptions, il
playing out, and ought to do so, be-
cause the policy is founded in Injustice.
violating the vested rights of minori
ties by forcing them to invest in en-
t"rpriScS in which they have no conf.
dcncr, and forcing upon them the as
sumption of debt which they not
only had no agency in creating, but
protested against, in the only manner
open TO thcm-a negative vote. As a
substitute for this mode of raising the
means for building railroads. a man of
experience in such matters suggests a
real estate basis, 10 be made effective
II this way; Lrt the landholdcrs along
the contemplated line of road, and for
three miles on either side of it agree
to subs ,ribe, as stock, one fourth of
their landed property which, if mort
gagged or sold advantagcously, will give
30 much of the sum required as to en-
able an efficient Board of Directors to
build the road, with the aid of such
credit as its prospects and progress will
command in the money market To
illustrate:
Suppose the contemplated road To
be fifty miles in length, then the area
within three miles on each side will
embrace la2, 0OO acres aud one-iourth
win be 5000 acres which, at ten dol.
lars pcr acre will yield $4,000. Thou
if the road Is a narrow gauge, cosilnG
ten thousand dollars mile, as show
in the foregoing table, enough MI