The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-17
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{ I T,,RpaY . OCTOBER II, 1874
Trans. Aileghany Narrow Gauge.

Trans-Aileghany Marrow Gauge.
A few plain observations on the narrow
gauge aud the proposed Trans.Ailegeany
road may be acceptable to our frlends
They are certainly appropriate 10 our pre-
sent condition.
The narrow.gauge road-of, say three
feet-it has been proved is capable OF con
yeyiug the freight of any railroad OF the osy'
lai;s construction there is saving OF sron
ffty 10 sixty per cent. in comparison WIN
the vide gauge. In operating there S al
immense comparative saving by the narrow
yange. An average car on the narrow gauge
when loaded with five and bali tons OF
freight. is no heavier than an empty car on
the broad.cauce road. II costs no more 70
carry car with FIVE and half tons Of
frejph. on the narrow gauge than 1t does to
carry an empty car on the broad or standard
4.Sa gauge. The rails wear so rapidly
on the broad gauge from heavy engines and
trains that they must on the average be re-
ncwed every seuen years. On the narrow
gauge they last SO long that The fact OF the
length Of their durability Is not yet settled.
The trains on the narrow gauge are as eSpe-
d,tious and as safe as those on the broad
gauge.
Above all, the cost of the two classes OF
roads is the grea; point.
People may hare money 10 build the
narro,c-gauge road ,cho may not haoe
enough TO tu,M broad-gauge road. Shall
they 30 without railroad because they
cam, build broad gauge one: All the facts
we have before us scout the idea as absurd
And row cones the scheme to build mar
row. gauge road through q country we once
traded With, but whose trade we have by
we!l.known causes lost. The question is,
Shal! it he built?
First. The road must be located upon a
lire with direct road 70 Lynchburg to
within seventeen miles Of that city. Rich.
mond has decided that we must have that
direct road, and this TranS-Aliegban road
bed would carry US very nearly to it. 1t
continues thence through productive re-
cion OF Virginia to the county of Pulaski,
where il crosses the Atlantic, Mississippi and
Ohio and enters the storehouse Of mineral
wealth which lies west of that road and
which has not been developed.
The minority of the committee of citizens
appointed to consider the subject oppose the
road on the ground that the freight it would
carry should be thrown upon '>existing rail.
roads," We know none other in this case
than the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio.
Does the committee propose that Richmond
shall build lateral lines to that road Then,
why their objection? But the committee
forget that the proposed road traverses Il good
country. from Pulaski to Campbell, which
contributes little or nothing to the Atlantic,
Mississippi and Ohio. How would they
dispose of that? We once had its trade
we have lost it. Are we are content to lose
it forcver5
But this policy of contributing freight to
"existing railroads what does it amount
to: The idea is that OF one Of the commit
tee. We beard him in public meeting say
that he would oppose any more trunk rail-
roads 10 Richmond. That would force us
10 obtain all commerce from new districts
through the present roads by building late
raj lines to them. We should have to build
lateral lines from Franklin, Henry, Pat.
rick, and parts of Bedford and Campbell, to
the Lynchburg and Danyille road. Where
would the freight put upon that road go? Is
po,t limo Srhap ,ra should have
to build lateral lines to the Atlantic, Missis-
sippi. aud Ohio, and put freight upon that.
Does that come TO Richmond: Are railroad
companies anxious TO get rid Of freights be-
fore they reach their termni? The com.
mittee speak of extortipg from companies
the rights due TO Richmond. Can tue order of
the Court Of Appeals compel the current
OF James river to run upwards? When it
can DO that it can exert a resistless power
over the management of railroads, and, in
deed, over the very laws Of trade. Freights
on railways flow as steadily upon them as does
floating timber along The rivers whose waters
bear them. Extraordinary circumstances
alone can change the natural law. So that
When we contribute freights to "eNisting
roads" that do not run 10 this city we
submit them to destiny uncertain at best,
and the chances Of their getting to Rich
lnond are not equal to that Of their going
e,sew here.
The idea that we are to have no more
roads coming into Richmond is indeed no.
thing less than the idea that We must stop
where We are and hope for nothing. No
new country, we may be assured, will be-
come tributary to our commerce.
We had thought practical and.enterpris-
ing men desired to see Richmond sort Of
hub with rallways-like spokes OF wheel
concentrating upon her. There cannot be
too many of them, according to our theory.
Ii Richmond says we must not have any
more oil them it must be so. But it would
be strange judgment for town with ex-
traordinary natural advantages, and which
only needs that her people be enterprising
and liberal-up to the spirit of these times
10 make her the greatest inland city in the
Union.
OF the proposed Allegheny parrow-gauge
we can only repeat what we have said. 1t
should be aided with extreme caution. No.
thing should be doue in which this city is
not secure. But secure, we do not see any
good reason for hesitation. In doing any
thing we are safe. We have control of the
amount Of aid and the terms.
But we do say that if we were offered