The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-04
RURAL RAILROADS.
A System of Narrow-Gauge Steam
Railroads in France.
Parls Cor. Of az PAiLadeIphlq BuIletln.


A plan is Just set on foot for the con-
struction of what are to be called Rural
Railroads" in France, which seems de-
serving of notice. | am not aware of a
similar description having been yet con-
templated in America or any other coun-
try. A first experiment of the kind has
just been decided upon in the department
of the Seine-et-Marne, aud general bill
on the subject, which has been reported on
favorably by the Conseil d'Etat will be
submitted to the assembly soon after the
reopening of the session. The project was
in France, by Mr., Chabrier a wellknown
civil engineer, who has devoted much
time and attention to it; and 1t has since
been adopted and patrOnized both by that
society and by great number Of the
Couunseils Generaux Of departments, as
promising to afford a most valuable addi-
ton to the means of transport for their
produce to the agricultural districts.
The proposition is for the construction
of narrow lines of Rural Railroad" of a
width of one metre only, instead of the
usual gauge of a metre and half-along
the wide space which every traveller in
France must have observed to be land
sometimes wondered WHY cleft on the side
of almost every high road. Now, at pres
ent. the ordinary railroads transport heavy
goods at the rate of three or four centimes
Tor less than a cent? per ton per kilome-
ter; but they only do this under TIE con-
dition of allowing large accumulation of
such to take place, and consequently a
great loss of time to be incurred at the
different stations or depots, and then send
ing off the whole in lump by one heavy
goods train. Now, these Rural Railroads, "
economically constructed, and without
stations or depots, or accommodations OF
any kind, profess to be able to replace Or
binary carriages, without delays, at two OF
three times less than the present cost
They will connect the small towns and vii
lagos, and manufactures all over the
country, and carry off their produce, agri.
cultural or other, as it is ready for trans
port. For their construction there will
be no need of ''acts of parliment' or com
pulsory appropriations or surveys,or Other
expensive preliminaries, ANY more than foi
costly contributions of any kind along the
line, All that will be required will be the
concession of the roadside" for the pur-
pose by the Counseil-G enerale of the de
partment with the authority to modify
But the speed is not intended to much ex
coed that Of an ordinary road carriage. ant
the trains will stop and pick up good
awaiting them at every road they cross
Simple receiving offices may be establish
ed at village stores, or the owner 'of good
may bring them to the train himself ant
accompany them to their place Of destin
alton. paying his fare on the way, just a
in an omnibus, or train way, without tn
ceremony of ticket taking or other impede
ment. The expense of laying down sue
Rural Lines" according to a very care
fully prepared estimate, will not excee
$4,000 francs per kilometer. instead {
more than 100000 francs which is tn
case even on the most economically cor
structed ordinary railroads in France, TIL
estimate. also, ofthe proceeds of such line
based on a rate of carriage of % centimt
per kilometer, and on the average roa
traffic of goods and passengers seems to /
fairly remunerative in financial point {
view, and as an investment exclusive
the general advantage to agricultural il
terests to be expected from the undert;
king.