Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-11-05

N'NAl NJ W. S"s ~ p" fNN"A'"''ty - -
way of connecting them with the car
Gan invention of Mr.. Mansfeld) they
follow the track in every wind and
curve as surely as if they were eighteen
inches in diameter and had correspond
ing depth of flange Then it would be
doubted if the frail rails we're strong
enough to carry even one person with
out breaking; but here again we are
at fault. -Four heavy men can get on
and ride as safely and even more safely
than one, and Mr. Mansfield says the
car and rails would support the weight
of eight men without being perceptibly
weakened Very good but such an
affair cannot be made to goat any speed
Hold on Don't be too fast. This car
with its diminutive wheels has been
made to run by the force of gravitation
alone, at the rate of over twenty-five
miles an hour around winds and curves
nearly two-thirds its length. Such is
the result of experient with the ten-inch
gauge on
THE SUMMER HEIGHTS AND HAZELwooD
VALLEY RAILROAD,
the narrowest gauge in the world.
During his experiments Mr.. Mansfield
has steadily held in view the prime OBJ
ject of utilizing the narrower gauge in a
most comprehensive manner that shall
be explained further along. He has Wis
tied nearly all the railroads especially
narrow gauges-in New England, and
has maintained an extensive correspond
ence with railway men; machinists, iron
workers and constructors. He has in
quired into prices and calculated to
nicely what engines, cars, rails, sleepers,
etc, on such road as he would construct
would cost, until he has arrived at con.
illusions that would appear to be as sur
prising as they would be valuable when
adopted. The ten-inch gauge was adopt
ed by him in his experiments as an ex-
treme narrow gauge, and therefore all
the better to demonstrate the problem he
was working out. His practical conclu-
sion is that for all purposes which his
style of railway could be applied,
gauge of from 20 to "a inches would be
all sufficient. A road of this kind could
be operated for traffic with 20 pound
(to the yard iron rail- Freight cars
capable of drawing three tons could be
made to weigh not over 1000 pounds.
Passenger cars that would comfortably
seat Gin single seats at each side "a per-
sons, that would not weigh more than
two tons could be constructed and last
ly engines of from six to twelve tons
that could draw five loaded passenger
or eight to ten loaded freight cars, or $50
tons, could be readily adapted to such
road. All these equipments could be
built and operated at a surprisingly low
cost, and would transport freight and
passengers at a good profit for at least
one half of what is now charged for that
service by railroads. But this is not all.
MR.. MANsFIELD's PURPOSE
is to replace every stage line on every
road, and connect every town in
every state one with another, and with |
the main lines Of railway, by means of
this narrower gauge. 1t can be built so
cheaply that it can be made to reach, by |
around hills, even to the high
est settlements in the mountains. A few
years ago the people of Billerica, desir-
ing a railway connection of their town
with the main line of the Lowell road
only two miles distant-started in town
meeting to raise the necessary funds, %
900 dollars; but the amount was so large
that it frightened many of the citizens
and the project was killed by few votes
majority against it. With the narrower
gauge system, however, road from the
town to the railway could be built and
with rolling stock for at least
10000. This is no guess work, but can
be demonstrated by facts and figures that
would convince the most skeptical. Now
mere is new departure indeed, for it
moving not only passengers
% and from the railroads, but freights of
all kinds that have now to be often
ragged to and from the railway station
N the spring and fall when the roads
are heavy and full of ruts. Any farmer
living on the line of this narrower gauge
can even have siding run up to his
barn and own his own freight car, pay
ing to the railway company for drawing
t to and from the station, loaded, mere
nominal amount 1t is well-established
fact in railroading that
SHORT BRANCH LINES NEVER PAY.
But here is method that, while it does
away altogether with branch roads. mul.
.iplies the feeders of the main lines to an
extent which we can as yet scarcely con-
ecture. By this means towns that are
low in the background and steadily los
ng their inhabitants because of the lack
# quick and easy means of reacb;no