The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1872-12-27

such roads have been built to demonstfate
their practicability, their advantage and
their disadvantage.
These roads have been called narrow
gauge because Of reduction of about two
feet in width Of track below the old stand
ard guage. But the name does not prop
erly represent the system Of roads. If
the reduction in the width of track was
the only departure from the old system
the advantages would be few and small.
But the narrow-guage system Is intended
to he perfect in all OF its parts.
As compared with the old broad gauge
system the width of track is cut down
about two-Hfths and the weight Of cross
ties, bridging, trestling, iron, nails and
rolling stock, from two-ffths to one-halfi
In other words, IL is a lighter road with
lighter rolling stock, and consequently a
cheaper road. There Is o reduction OF at
least two-ffths Of the materials out Of
which the road 10 constructed, and conse-
quently a reduction Of two-ffths OF the
cost OF construction. And If the old sys-
tenn Of roads with their width and weight
approach proportional perfection, the new
system must be reduced in width as well
as in weight, in order to possess the same
degree OF perfection.
But the great saving Of money resulting
from the introduction Of the narrow-gauge
does not end with the building of the road
1t is felt in equally as great degree in re-
pairing and operating expenses. II, In
constructing the narrow in place OF the
broad-gsuge road, two-ffths OF the cost Of
cross-,ies, bridging, trestling, iron and
rolling stock can be saved the same pro-
portion can be saved in replacing these ma
terials, whenever these repairs become
necessary. Besides it is believed that an
iron rail weighing thirty.ave pounds to
the yard will last longer on narrow
guage road with engines weighing from
fourteen TO eighteen tons than a rail
weighing sixty.hve pounds to the yard
will last on broad gusge road with en-
gines weighing from twenty-five to thirty.
i've tons. The rapid wear Of railroad
iron is the result Of Eliminating or batter
ing, not Of friction. Engines weighing
from fourteen to eighteen tons lsminste
iron very little, while those weighing from
thirty to thirty-dve tons laminate it very
rapidly, so in regard to operating expenses.
Broad.gauge roads with heavy rolling
stock must run heavy trains whether the
business demands it or not. Consequently
they must have carried over them an inn
mense amount of dead or non-paying
weight and that at considerable cost for
fuel whether there be much or little BUSH
ness. 1t is the heavy engines that mash
up and wear out the iron, yet they are
made for the road and the
road is made for them and
they must be run though ten
thousand pound engines and cars be run
over the road for every one thousand
pounds Of paying load, and thatat an enor-
nous consumption Of fuel. Not so with
narrow-gauge roads and rolling stock.
Light trains are run so as to sYit the busi-
ness At all seasons, and if during part of
the year an increase Of business demands
it, extra trains are put on.
The propriety Of such system Of road
has recently been extensively discussed
by the best engineers both in Europe and
in America, and as the result OF such dis
cussion the Russian Government, hereto
fore almost entirely without rsilroad IA
cilties has adopted it and is now con-
stucting quite number Of long lines of
narrow.gauge roads. England with
thirty years Of experience in operating the
best snd some of the broadest roads in the
world has adopted the narrow-gauge sys-
tenn for her vast India po.sessiont, number
OF such roads have been and are now be.
ing constructed in Europe, in
Canada and in the United States
aud Gen. Rosecrsns, one Of the
best engineers of the age 10 now in Mex.
leo, urging that government to adopt the
same system as the one most likely 10
bring about the rapid development. OF the
resources of that country.
These roads have been pronounced by
competent engineers as Icing equally nj
safe as the brosd.gauge roads, and the de.
cision Of such engineers has been sustained
by the practical workings Of the roads.
They can be operated with speed
sufficient for all practical purposes, and
with a rail weighing ,hirty-ave pounds to
the yard and plenty Of rolling stock, have
= capacity for doing more business than
is now being done by any brosd.gaug'
hess Of such road should even exceed it
capacity, the earnings from so heavy Z
business would very soon double track the
road, and increase its capacity tC
more than double that Of single
track brosd-gauge road, while thu
relative cost Of the double track narrow
gauge ~ compared ~i'n 'nA' 0, lhe shgl !
track otoAo-gsoes wouia % ohly a. soou'
SIX 10 hVe. ny adopting toe narrow
gaugc lor our Ioaa' anu .nsreoy securing
the co,opo,ati9n OF tue on LOUIS sna Val lar,
ana tae AladleloWn, h'p'ey ana onif
t r narlo"-gaSge .a'.'os1 companies
We issi very sonnaeh' 'lsi tne whoie nm
oi roao from -. Ho"is 20 onIP isIshu nal,
o1 n can % ou,l. very SOON ana WIN t suct