Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-11-05
Narrow Gauge Railroads.

A Des Moines correspondent of the
Chicago Journal furnishes the follow
ing convincing figures in favor of mar.
row gauge railroads:
"W. q B." writing from this city
to the Cedar Falls Gazette, says: The
people of Des MONIES are foolish
enough to believe the narrow gauge
railroad is success" The whole
letter shows the writer is not resi-
dent, and hence super fetal observer,
| and does not reflect the views of the
people of Des Moines, who know the
road is success beyond all expecta
ton, and, so great was their faith In
it, they put their money in it and
built it at time when Eastern capt.
taIists would not invest one dollar IN
railroad projects in Iowa. The road
has been built with Iowa money, by
Iowa men. It's progress has been
slow but sure. No extravagant ex-
penditures were made. but the work
was done as the means were obtained,
and the road put in operation with
the least possible cost. But so great
has been its success, nearly every
week since it was opened new rolling
stock has been added, the business in
creasing beyond its capacity to do it
although trains are run four times a
day over the road. 1t is already pay
ing more than expenses, which are
very considerable, as depots, side
tracks, round houses, and other nee
essary appurtenances are in process
Of construction. Experience has al
ready demonstrated that it will 90 as
much carriage with greater profit than
broad gauge road. Here are the
figures to show it. The estimate is
upon 16 broad gauge cars weighing
81 tons each, and 20 narrow gauge
cars weighing less than 8 tons EACH
Total Total VT
Paying dead cars and
load weight. load
Broad gauge............"...l6O 1856 Z96
Marrow gaugs.....,,. .....160 so go
Saving in weight (tons) ....".... ........".. 10
1t will be see that narrow gauge
car loaded with 81 tons will weigh no
more than broad gauge car empty.
A like showing is made in passen-
ger traffic. Take a train of narrow
gauge coaches, which will seat 70
persons. The coaches weigh $4,000
pounds; $4,000 divided by SO is equal
to 416 pounds per passenger. A
broad gauge coach weighs 10 TONS
1t will seat Sc passengers. Divide
$4,000 by Sc, and the quotient is 67s,
or a difference of 262 pounds per pass
enger in favor of the narrow gauge
AS 70 passengers would require two
broad gauge cars, the ratio would be
10000 divided by Y equal to 1866
pounds per passenger, or total of %
tons saving of dead weight in favor of
the narrow gauge.
The average cost of transporting
freight per ton per mile, as set forth
during the discussion Of the railroad
tariff bill last winter, and which was
accepted as correct, is Il cents per
ton per mile on broad gauge roads. =
On narrow gauge roads it is l cent,or
one-third less.
The narrow gauge can be operated
at 26 per cent. less cost than the broad
gauge, which is another item.
1t also cost less than half as much
to build a narrow gauge road as a
broad gauge road. The road to Ames
cost less than $4,000 a mile, all equip
ped and ready for business. Iowa
broad gauge roads have cost, for con-
struction alone, over an average OF
$4,000
With all these facts in favor of the
narrow gauge, there is also the i'm
portant item of cheaper transportation
guaranteed by cheaper road and
cost of transportation.