The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-02-25
NAR AAH,


preferred the passen-
ger coaches Of the uarrow-gauge to those
of the broad gauge. His plan was n
haSe a row of chairs or seats, on piyots,
ON each side of the coach. The loaded
freight cars weighed less than the empty
cars Of the broad gauge road. Ten of
his cars would carry the load Of eight
of the Kansas Pacific Railroad cars, and
each of his loaded cars are one ton
lighter than the empty return cars of the
Kansas Pacific Railroad. They had no
difficulty in transporting cattle. The
engines worked admirably and do all
they were wsrranted to do"
Col. f Hubert, President North
Georgia & North Carolina Railroad, At
tanta, Ga, remarked, He went to the
Denver and Rio Grsnde Railroad, which
was the best illustration Of the narrow
gauge principle. Ii is Is near perfection
as any broad gauge road that was ever
built The cars ride more steadily than
those Of any road West Of the Missis-
si2pi River As to the comforts OF the
cars, he found no difference True, there
was more leg room in the brosd gauge
cars, but there were enough seats for
comfort,and sitting with gentleman on
the same seat they we're not uncomfort
ably crowded Broad
gauge roads are necessarily compelled to
charge high rates--higher than the peo
pie are able to pay. In many parts OF
Georgia il would be impossible to build
q three foot gauge, because two foot is
cheaper, and ample for the purposes, land
furnishes the people with every needed
facility. We have decided tc
use twenty and twent, five pound rail,
and some even as low as eighteen
pounds. We sre determined that every
portion and pa,t OF our State shall have
its road, whether it be three foot ol
two foot gauge. On
CAPACITY OF eAUGEs,
He said: "a three foot gauge would
have capacity. if properly equipped, tt
do more business than is actually don,
by any broad-gauye road in the United
States"
Hon P. B. Borst, of Virginia, Presi
dent Washington, Cincinnati l. st. Louil
Railroad, referred to this road {narres
gauge they were now building. Thei
capitsl stock wss 5000 600. This
route begins at Richmond, crosses th'
State line to Mt. Pleasant, Ohio: theme,
to Cincinns.i thence to st Louis. HI
said: THE narrow gauge received it
impetus in the hills Of Wsles The en-
tire system grew from little tramwa,
first used in bringing slate from th,
mountains, and which grew to = passen
ger, and then to general freight road
In 1870 it carried 10000 tons Of fSeigh
per mile, and about 5000 passengers. :
There never had been any accident,
upon that road, aud in regard to tht
question Of gain, it declared iu 1870
upon the capital stock Of the company
the enormous dividend Of 20 per cent ;
T. F.. Sickles, Esq, Engineer on I
railroad from Golden City to Nevada
California, in his report says: THE cos
of grading road he'd through the can
yon for 4 #. ST in track was estlma
ted Al $50, 600 per mile. The actual Cos
of grading road bed for q three fee
track has not exceeded $4,000 pc
mile"
W. Stuart Watson, Esq, Civil Engi
neer, San Francisco, California, speak
ing Of the narrow gauge road, says
''1he cutting and filing Of road bed viii
not be over one-half. Curves can b
used and successfully operated as sharl
as 200 feet radius. The cost Of perTa
neut structures can be reduced at lcas
one-third, ties two-thirds, rails win h
reduced from 80 pounds per yard to q
and 30, and their durability from 5 to l!
years with the same business
Mr. Spooner, Engineer and Superin
tendent Of the Testinoig road, Wales
gauge 234 inches, in his report for 1863
shows that it transported 1885, tom
Of freight and $1,000 passenger tina
year.
The total receipts
for that year we're E23,676 or sll8,3S'
Expenditures, 1908 or 65,26i
Nett income, E10,623 or $53,lli
This road is 131 miles long; origina
- a m - a