The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-30
GIGANTIC RAILWAY PROJECT.

An Eight.TTack Road Between New
York and ChicagO--SiX Thousand
Freight Trains in Constant Motion
allow Freight Rates May be Re-
duccd ThTce.Fourths.
From the New York Graphic.
A new and important railroad move
ment is said to be on the tapiS. 1t is I'm.
derstOod that the management Of the New
York Central and Lake Shore Railroads
are contemplating the formation Of joint
Company, with view 10 having exclusive
freight tracks all the way from Chicago 10
New York and Boston. Tho extra two
tracks between Albany and Buffalo are
nearly complete, and the plan is TO con.
tinuC the extra double tracks from Buffalo
10 Chicago. When this is done it will
be possible to carry freight at very much
cheaper rates than 1t can now be handled
on tho Baltimore IL Ohio Railroad, not.
withstanding the shorter distance on the
last mentioned railway. 1t is believed
that the freight can be transported on an
exclusive freight track at rates not very
mnch above those charged on the Eric
Canal. The trains are 10 be run at the
rate Of eight miles an hour, which Is the
rate that gives the least wear and tear OF
track and cars. On uniform time table,
The freight track not being hampered by
passenger trains or trains OF unequal rates
ri speed, an incalculably large amount of
business can thus be done. Under such
All arrangement it would be possible 10
run trains which would be less than hall
mile apart. Now, as the distance from
New York 10 Chicago is about 1000
miles, II we allow that under such regula.
tions as tho above there would be three
trains OF from ten 10 twenty cars per milo,
we should have the enormous aggregate,
on the two tracks of 1000 trains constantly
in motion, Such stupendous amount Of
business as this would enable the COM
panies 10 reduce freight charges to point
lar belowanything now thought OF. Under
uniform time table It would be posi-
bic 10 throw open the freight business to
general competition and take.private cars
upon the line in the same way that pri.
Vate canal bosds arc taken upon our can.
al. This would give tree trade In freight
10 Its most perfect form. With quad
ripple track 1t Is believed that the Central
Railroad could defy competition and car.
ry freight at one.third the charges of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the i'm.
mediated effect oil the charge would be
the ruin oil the Erie Railway. The way
this grand scheme is 10 Ibe carried but is
yet undetermined, but it is in contempls.
ton, we arc assured, in fact 1t is forced
upon tho New York Central by the eX-
igCncies Of the situation. Of course, in
taking this departure, the New York
Central will cut loose IRON all connec-
lions with other trunk lines, and will IN
doubtedly force the Pennsylvania Cen
trAl into q similar arrangement, which
would give these two roads the practical
monopoly and complete command oil the
freight business, at the same time meet.
ing the growing demands Of the country
Tor cheap freight
The cost Of this vast improyement
would be commensurate with its imnor-
lance, but alter all would not amount 10
such q sum as to be impossible for such
powerful corporation as would be form.
ed by the combination Of the New York
Central and Hudson River and tho Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern companies
The first named company, with the lease
oil the Harlem road, and Its additional
tracks now nearly completed between al.
bany and Buffalo, has practically q quad
ripple track from New York 10 Buffalo,
and Of tho whole distance between BufFa.
10 and Ohioago-54l milGs-the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern Company
has now 1928 miles OF double track. There
remains, therefore, but 2l0 miles of single
track TO be laid 10 make that section
double track railway, and but al
miles more Of double track TO complete
tho double track from New York 10 Chi.
cago. At the latest prices paid for honest
and economical construction ithis work
could be done for $25,000,00O. The unit
ed capital Of the two roads amounts 10
$lS0, 72S,800, and the funded debts Of
the two roads are about $64,OO0,00O, An