Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-06-05
For the Advertiser.
Narrow Gauge Railroad from Edsefield
CHI. to Pine. House.

Narrow Gauge Railroad from Edscfield
C.H. to Pine. House.
s Mr.. EDITOR: In my communication
in the lastSA dvertiser, by certain csi-
mates therein submitted, itappears that
Narrow Gauge Wooden Railroad be-
tween the above-named points cain be
builtand equipped for total outlay Of
$4,000, including cost of Depot at Edge
field C. H.. that business to the gross
amount of S6OOotper annum, might be
calculated upon, and that S2lOo would
pay the: wholo annual expense for one
year, including $500 for repairs, showing
net annual profit OF $1,000 to pay divi-
dends.
I propose now TO consider some quos-
tons that very naturally will be suggest
ed to practical men. Some persons are
disposed to ridicule q narrow gauge Rail-
road, but small boats should keep near
the shore, and by;all means let us keep
within our means; and spend no more
money i'll this enterprise than is actually
necessary to build such a, Railroad as is
actually needed tofydo the business of the
country.
Some one will askwin a wooden Railroad
such as is proposed, answer the purpose,
and how long will the wooden rails last9
To tie first part of Ass question, have
no hesitation in answering that such
Railroad will answer the purpose very
effectually. The rails will be Of Axe
scaptling, supported by cross ties at in.
tervals of four feet, and confined by Rail-
road spikes, one in each cross tie, on
either side of the track, whichwill'he Of
ample strength to bear up any train that
will even pass over it. The answer to
the second part of the question, must of
course be conjectpral, as tire length of
time the rails will last must depend very
much upon the MAky of the. timber
| used. assume thsMe rails will last
from four to Six yaFs; say they will
last five years, ,-then6ow will the matter
stand as to the proftA6lepcss of tltc in
vestment as mere-iHeesfment. Looking
only to dividends, Ia leaving out. Of
consideration the greaf public convent
ence Of such an enterprise?
BY the estimates Heretofore sub
mited, (allowing thenyto he correcF,)
the annual profits@amount to abovo f
forty per cent per annum on. the
whole outlay Of the Road and equipment,
after allowing $500 per annum for repairs.
So that at the end Of % years the cwh lie
road and the equipment will have hoo,1
paid for, and the Company will have the
road and equipment, &c, rs il fieH
stands. And by the expenditure of $500
in repairs per annllm the roa! will he
very nearly in as good condition at that
time as at the commencement. Tie only
part of this r ~! thatis more perishab.;'
than nt.,cr !; ,iiroadsyis tho wcoilen rails
or .;i: :i,-,.r..., Whcnone of tlcso widen
rail-, hr.:,.:. or wears out, ii cal, b" :t;-
place! Il. .tn cxpcnseof forty cents The
rail. it sill be remembered will be ab'ro
.o-4:----------
| supported !y, the cross ties ut intervals
of SLY four icct. The cross ties in .i.:s'
road will Inst rs long as the cross Tie il
Other r,.;,,l;. and therefore ] viii So:
netting more about them, evcr;': t.:.!t
they. arc in tho estimate SUPPOSED to ''a-
| five iirct ionG. The ears will run OH re-:l
lar Railroad car wheels. The ;innr b.
tween I:dme::ed G.. III and Pine !l''"-",
presume, would lc from - :! ~ .m!n-
utcS, w..iri would require Az average
speed OF i',:'ni six - eight niIcS ner
hnu: wl.ir., the males ,..Hi'! :n"!" for
that distance without material III -. ID
them, or amy part of tlo rnad q: ears.
The capacity OF The Platform Car :i'li!l
be from 10000 to l2,Oc0 pouide. There
need be no fancy work k-abour amy part 81
tho machinery, and the estimate of tie
cost of tire cars heretofore made is ample
ipr the purpose
Some one will ask how 10000 10 l2.G0e
pounds of freight can be put on car
only three feet widc? Here l would say
that although the Railroad track will be-
but three feet wide, the body of the car
may be of the usual size, and will hang
over outside the wheels, giving as much
room inside tho body of the car as may
be needed.
II is assumed that two stout mulcswilr
he ample power to draw the trai,i III Ina
rate of six or eight miles al hour.
The advantages of such n Railroad to
lIdgcteld Village and the surrounding
country will he incalculable. Thc-corn-
cribs and smoke-houses Of ID large pro-
portion of the people of this country are
in Tennessee and Kentucky. This Rail-
road will bring. all that they need to their
doors. The trade of Edgeiield vii
lage will bo increased probably from
two to three hundred per cent. Trade 20
the amount of many thousands of dollars
which now goes to Augusta Will stop at
Edgcfcld G. f., and DC done by our
local merchants. With such Railroad
there would be no good reason why goods
roald not be sold very nearly as cheap
at Edgeiieid G. II. as in Augusta. Rents.
arc lower; clerk hire is less, boar,l Is
less, and nearly all the items that make
up tho expense account of the merchant,
iTc. lower than in Augusta, except per-
Ilaps the item of freight, and lhis lem
by such a Railroad would be diminished
ut least from fifty to one hundred per
cent. AT least 50 it appears by
FACTS AND FIGURES.
May q, 1873.
The Patrons of EIusbandry as Deih"-
Gratis and Eree-Traders.
OF the Patrons of Husbanlry, wh''o'
growth has been so remarkable. the New
York correspondent OF the Charleston
.Nems d Courier writes lately az i"I!ows:
"The National Convention of the new
party, the Order Of the Patrons OF iu;-
LANDRY will IN nnt IL, =: .it nlNr HUUk.