The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-22

tnere IS not mistake somewhere, ana the
history o! all human experience is at fault,
it is destined 20 accomplish such revou
ton in our modes of transit throughout
sections of the country where ordinary
railways in the very nature of things
would never penetrate as will still further
supersede the use Of the stage coach and
the heavy country team now used to haul
the products of farm and forest to rail
way for a market. This new departure,
this idea Of
A NARROWER GAUGE RAILWAY,
is the result of the thought and experience
of Mr.. George 4. Mansfield, a native of
Walpole, N. H., but now resident of
Hyde Park, in this state, where his ad-
vanced work has been carried out. Mr..
Mansfield, when boy, constructed small
railway on his fathers farm, on which the
cars we're propelled by gravitation, and
during his whole life has had passion for
railroading which has led him to inquire
into and become familiar with all the de-
tails of construction and operation OF rail
ways. He is a wood and metal-working
mechanic. and has made some important
improvements in the running gear of rail
way cars. which he has tested on his own
road. Working in sewing machine house
in Boston, as a journeyman, he has yet
found time in his leisure hours to con.
struct, near his own house. at Summer
Heights, in Hyde Park, a narrow gauge
railway about third of mile in length.
The road starts from the summit of small
hill just back of the Lakewood station on
the Providence railroad, and after wind
ing round the hill by sharp curves, comes
down through his back yard, and by an
apparently very dangerous curve shoots
obliquely across one street, closely shaving
a street corner where it runs over a small
bridge, and then across another street t.
the side near the railroad, and thence for
short distance parallel with the latter
The ties or sleepers are composed of mar
row strips of inch board about fitcer
Inches Tong, upon which are nailed Twill
small finish nails) rails made Of soft wood
about an inch square and ten inches apart
On these are nailed narrow strips of thin
hoop iron, and the whole affair is complete
The car used on this road is platform
about two feet wide and five feet long, auC
the diameter of the wheels is FIVE inches
Here we have
THE NARRowEsT GAUGE ROAD IN TIL
WORLD,
whose capacity and performance, consider
ing all things, are really wonderful.
would seem at first sight that the whole
affair was mere boys plaything, and ;
dangerous one at that, but test of its ca
pacity would soon undeceive the proprietor
of such hasty judgment 1t would appear
to begin with, that the wheels of the car
with their small fanges, would be sure t.
jump the track at every curve, but by
popularity in the way of connecting then
with the car Ian Invention of Mr. Mansfield
they follow the track in every wind an(
curve as surely as if they were eighteen
inches in diameter and had correspond
ing depth Of fange Then it would b
doubted if the frail rails we're stron.
enough to carry even one person withou
breaking; but here again we at fault. Fou
heavy men can get on and ride as safel,
and even more safely than one, and MIR
Mansfield says the car and rails would sup
port the weight of eight men without beinj
perceptibly weakened. Very good; bu
such an affair cannot be made to go will
any speed. Hold on! Don't be too fast
This little car, with its diminutive wheels
has been made to run by the force o
gravitation alone at the rate of over twenty
five miles an hour around winds and curve
nearly two-thirds its length. Such is tn
result OF experiment with the ten-incl
gauge on
THE SUMNER HEIGHTS AND HAZELwOol
VALLEY RAILROAD,
the narrowest gauge in the world.
During all his experiments, Mr.. Mans
field has steadily held in view the prim
object of utilizing the narrow gauge in
most comprehensive manner that shall b
explained further along. He has visite
nearly all the ailroads-especially mario,
gauges-iD New England, and has main
tanned an extensive correspondence wit
railway men, mechanics, iron workers an
constructors He has inquired into price
and calculated to nicely what engines
cars, rails, sleepers, ETC., on such a roa