Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-11-07

tempts to wrest from me what they know l
haven't got-and the only thing have lost
after series of years, is few inches Of my
nose, which 1 don't miss. Yes, rum has done
much for me.
From the Atlanta Plantation.
NARROW. GAUGE R. ROAD CONVENTION.
We are indebted to Col. E. Hubert for a
copy of the proceedings of that Convention of
Railroad men, Car and Locomotive Builders,
which met in St. Louis, in June last.
If the statement made in letter addressed
to the Western Maryland Road by Mr. Steb-
bens, New York capitalist be correct, the
subject of Narrow-Guage Railroads is one Of
great Importance to the South. This gentle
man says "In my opinion it will be impossi-
BILE to resist the weight of testimony in favor
of these railways over any other gauge, and
certainly agree with you, that the discovery
of their efficiency will do more for the South
and the South. West than could have been
done by any other human means | regard
the successful agitation of the matter at this
time as equal to the discovery and introduce
ton of the cotton-gin to the whole southern
section of the country"
This Convention was composed Of officers Of
forty-six railroads, in different parts of the
United States and Canada. These delegates
represented both broad and Narrow.G Gauge
Railroads. The discussions, as reported in a
pamphlet of more than ninety pages, were har-
monious and conclusions were reached with
entire unanimity. This unanimity Of so large
number of railroad experts, from so many
different portions of the country, representing
both kinds of gauge, is in itself strong ar
gument in favor of the narrow.gauge.
tits worthy of notice that prominent part
in the discussions of the Convention was ta-
ken by the delegate from Georgia, Col. E.:
Hubert Frequent inquiries were made OF
him, as being high authority. The replies
given, and the remarks made by this gentle
man, were uttered with that clear, incisive
good sense which is characteristic Of him.
The objections to the narrow.gauge were
promptly stated, and carefully met, and the
advantages were elaborately stated.
The principle objections to the Narrow
Gauge Road were stated to be their inability
to do heavy business in freight and travel,
incapacity of fast time, and the cost OF trans
fer of frei ght from the narrow to existing
broad-gauge roads,
The first objection was met by Col. Green
wood and others. Col. Greenwood, is the
manager-in-chief Of the Denver and Rio
Grande Railroad. This road, when compile
ted, will extend from the Union-Paci6c Rail-
road to the Rio Grande, a distance Of more
than eight hundred miles. One hundred and
seventeen miles are now in operation. Col.
Greenwood states the capacity of this road to
be quite equal to the broad.gauge. Similar
statements on this point were made by the
representatives of other Narrow.Gauge Bail
roads.
As to speed, it was stated that twenty-five
miles per hour had been made on the Narrow
Gauge Roads, although the usual rate was
fifteen miles the hour, which is quite sufficient
for practical purposes.
The objection as to the disadvantage of be.
ing compelled to break bulk to the broad
gauge was met in the following manner, by.
Col. Hubert: The cost of transporting freight
at the South on the narrow-gauge was one
cent per ton per mile, and on broad-gauge
one and q half cents per ton per mile On a
road 100 miles in length, the cost Of freight
on the one would be $1.5O, and on the other,
81. The cost of transfer where proper facili-
ties exist is five cents per ton. Allowing this
cost of transfer, and even making it ten cents
per ton, the difference in favor of the narrow
gauge would still be thirty cents
The advantages of the Narrow Gauge Road
are thus summed up: First, in the large COM
parative saving in first construction and right
of.way. This saving, in many instances,
amounts to less than half the cost of the broad
gauge This saving renders the construction
Of Narrow Gauge Road practicable where,
from want of sufficient means, the broad-gauge
would be impracticable. g..
Second, in the larger proportion of paying
load to non.paying weight of train. The
weight of a single broad-gauge box car is $751;
500 pounds. 7. ieight Of narrow-gauge
caris 5000 pounds. In train of twenty-five
cars, the excess of dead weight Of the broad
over the narrow-gauge car is 351 800 pounds
The weight of a broad.gauge passenger car is
$4,000 pounds; Of narrow-gauge, 10000
pounds the one carrying ifty-six passengers,
the other thirty-six- difference Of but twenty.
Third, in the reduction in wear and tear Of
permanent way by using lighter rolling stock.
In selected train of a given number OF cars,
the broad-gauge train will have hammered
the road by series of blows amounting in the
aggregate to 6,891,740 pounds; while the
narrow-gauge train will have expended force
amounting to only 3,248,640 pounds. The
difference in wear and tear of road must be
very great.
Fourth, in the great saving in the reduced
wear and tear of wheels and tires.
Fifth, in the large proportionate increased
power of locomotives. :.....
Sixth, in the proportionate increased veloc-
tiles gained by the light system.
Seventh, in the reduction Of freights
Eighth, in the comparative increase in the
capacities of traffic.
If these advantages be real if the original
cost of these roads is less than one.half that of
the ordinary road; and if, by adopting them,
the cost of transporting our cotton and other
freight can be materially reduced, their con-
struction would certainly be of vast benefit to
the agricultural interest of the South.
STRENGTH OF G1BRALTAR.-Until you set
foot upon Gibraltar you can form no idea Of
its impregnability. Very properly its real
strength cannot be seen from ship in the
bay only when you land do you find that
the sea-wall bristles with heavy guns, and
groans beneath piles Of ball; only as you
traverse its flank do you see how formidable
the breech.loaders peep from every availa-
BILE chink, and powerful mortars lurk be-
hind every convenient embankment. And
not until you penetrate the body of the rock
do you pet any just notion of the marvellous
piece of military engineering exhibited in its