The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-19
a Letter From EEa for FaEcORct,
ia Regard 10 the Transfer
OfGhe $4,000 Subscriptions.

a ELeIaPF From W 81 Tor Esl scORCts
in Regard 90 the Transfer
To The Editors Of the Herald and Mail:
As the authorities Of Columbia have
ordered a vote to be taken on the first Of
April next, on the subject of the transfer
of twenty-five thousand dollars subscrip-
ton, formerly voted to the stock of the
Duck River Valley railroad, from tbs
western part of the line to the eastern
part of the same, the discussion of the
question before the people is a matter o.
Justice to those who voted the stock, and
are in favor of the enterprise; and espc
cially to those who are opposed to the
railroad, and who have to pay the taxes,
which are to redeem capital and interesr
Of the bonds.
The Duck River Valley railroad origi-
mated in July, 1871, and has been a sub
ject of discussion from that time to tie
present.
1t was projected and brought to its
present condition by a few devoted
friends, while the majority of the popu-
lation has treated it with a kind of friend
", bat passive sympathy, believing it TO
Je a desirable public improvement; but,
at the same time not willing to give II
active assistance-tO push it rapidly to
wards success.
Many also have treated it with sort Of
passive contempt, looking upon it as an
impractcable, impOss bic and visionary
scheme but, al the same time not taking
the trouble to openly attack the aTgu-
ments IN in Its favor, unwilling to be
ranked among its enemies, If the enter
prise should in time succeed.
The friends of the road, and the mana
gers of its cor Germs, believe now that
| they have reached the threshold of Sue
cess, if Columbia will show her Gberallty
| by voting the transfer"
The statements and assertions made
| by the undersigned, since 1870, on the
/ subject of Narrow Gauge roads, were
! doubted by many, but have been fully
| verified in every particular, not only on
! the many Narrow Gauge roads built IN
! several parts of the country but particu-
Iarly and specially in the construction o.
| the Duck River Valley road, in Maury
aud Marshall counties
There are of course many people who
| will not believe that Narrow Gauge roads
are cheap, practicable and advantageous
until they will ride in them from Column
| bia to Lewisburg; and will then be Ig
| clincd to grumble. But others must Ger
| taiuly acknowledge that from tue amour
| Of work done on the road, the estim-
ales of the cOsy of the same, vii hard y
be reached.
The roadbed from Columbia to Lewis
burg is to day almost completed from the
end Of the second to the end of the tween
! tieth mile; AMI the road from COlumlil
to LewiSburg wili-if Columbia will vote
TO supply means for track by transfer
be entirely ready for track, bridges,
trestles, cattle guards, etc, included, from
Columbia to the depot ground at Lewis
burg by the first day Of June next, 81
that trains might run by the middle Of
August next
The work Of graduation, masonry, brid@
ing, etc, preparing the rOadb5d complete
for the track from section and 20 iHctu.
Sive, has been let and nearly all executed
Tor the sam OF 500, $50. Adding to this
the cost If roadbed from Columbia to sec
ton the ezra work required for chang
es of grades side tracks for sections, etc
We may safely assume, that the cost OF
the completed road from Columbia u
Lewisburg viii amount to S74, 900.
Assuming he cost of the track to hc
Sos, 600, we have SAP, goo, representa-
the cost of u miles Of Eoad complet-,
track and ALL for S6.7G2, per mile. 4
cheaper road through a broken, l:m"-
stone country could not be imagined.
Station house machinery, rolling stock
etc, that Is full equipment for the oper-
alton of a local road, will not cost more
than 81, 23S per mile, which would sum
up SIT 600 per mile, of complete three
foot gauge road, in full operation, the sum
which has been repeatedly estimated b.
the undcrs; gued, as the probable cost Of
the same.
What have the five foot gauge roads
cost in middle Tennessee?
The Nashville and Chattanooga railroad,
per mile at '.
1H,. Tenn and \ la ,............ p co.,
Tn Nashville and \. w...................52,0 900.
The Tenn. and Pacific, Gao
The above roads all pass through "a
region similar to the country traverscd by
the Duck River Valley road The aver
age cost OF Southern foot gauge roads
is ST., coo.
No one questions the capacity of a ,
foot gauge road to be sufficient to do all
the business between Columbia and Lewis
burg and Fayetteville, and none will De
ny that the probable net earnings Of q
road between those points will be at least
500 per mile.
Tn re is no doubt that with the GeveI-
opmNnt OF productions, and trade created
by the road, SIN per cent. can confidently
be expected.
Suppose broad gauge were built over
the same country, it could certainly NOT
he built for less than 80, 600 per mile,
and the net earnings, assuming opcauug
expenses equal, would be the same, and
only four per cent. on the capital Cm-
Ployed
The advantage of the narrow gauge is /
that the same results reached, that Is the |
same net earnings with a capital at least |
one halt smaller.
Il mast also be considered, that unless /
i'm this case narrow gauge was adopted, /
the construction Of the road would be
as the local capital Cor the
Broad gauge could not be found
Il is evident that people have wrong
idea about , foot roads, and rs to the
profits which would accrue on capital in
vested in its construction. No safer in
ycstmcnt could possibly be made, and it Is
10 be regretted, that parties having mon
" have not taken stock in the company,
rs If the whole amount necessary to com
plcte the road in running order had at
once been subs, ribbed in cash, and paid
"a, the road would to-day be in operation
aud would certainly bring handsome divi-
lcrds 10 the stockholders, wlich divi>
lends woulI increase, as population de-
-elupment Of productions, manufactures,
rattle, etc. would increase. Respectfully,
T. +. FALCoNNEr,
Chief Engineer, y. Z. V. n. q. i. r.
BARD TIMES.