The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-04-14
NARRow-GAUGE RAILWAYS IN OPERATION
IIfIN 1874


Washington Cincinnati And II. LOuls.",..,"u. w
lAnbFldgc, CuthbCrt md COlumbus,.."."...." W
California tOntrul lJJ
Alameda, Oakland and PielmOnt."""'...""''', ~
Utah NOrtheFn". "
Arkansas ~
WyandOttG Kansas city aud Nurthern ...''...'' nU
tlRlOna Hnl South wisconsin w
Dies MOlncs and Minnesota, ."m.",,..'.,.,.".'" ~
In addition to the above, there were on
the first day of July, 1874, thirty-Six mar.
row.gangc railways in process Of con-
AtrllGliOn,
The length Of the proposed narrow
gauge line between PomerOy and Jackson
would be about forty miles.
THE FEsrrNIoG NAHRow.dAudE.
This il, perhaps, the most noted mar
row.gauge railway in Europe. II L. four
teen miles in length, commencing in the
district Of EesliniOg, and terminating At
the shipping port Of Portmadoc, in North
Wales. II llas been In successful opera
tion (by steam for more than ten years,
WHAT IS SAID OF 1T.
Captain Tyler, inspector OF English
railways, says: "fhe adoption Of locomo'
tive power upon this little line Is very
important, and has evidently been very
successful experiment. The chCapncss
with which such II line can be constructed
and the quantity OF work that can be
economically performed by 1t, and TIC
safety with which The trains run over IT.
render IL m example which will nnlolibt'
edly be followed, sooner or later, in this
cOinlrv, India and the Colonies"
EARNINGS
The annual report Of this road, for
1869, shows that during that year il trans.
ported 13O, l39 tons, net, Of freight, and
$1,000 passengers. Net income for the
wear 1859, ElO,O23 sterling, or nearly
iS37OW three thousand seven hundred
per mile,
PROFITS.
Union the above showing the London
Times remarks: at appears that the
line Yields n dividend Of 2Oi per cent. on
The original capital. The chief cause OF
this wonderful result Is the narrOwnesa, OIL
tho gauge, Which has enabled the Festln,
inv Company to economist in many Ways
ADVANTAGES OF THE NARROw-dAudE.
Carefully complied statistics, together,
with the closest observation OF praCtlcal
railway men, demonstrate cOncIusively
the following facts: M.
l. That in broken, rolling country, Ike
that over which railways arc built, tn'
cost Of constructing the nnrrOw.gauge Il
from onu.halt to twO.thirtls less than Ih'
rost Of constructing the broad.gauge.,
.. That the cost Of eduipping and top
Grating the nArrOw-gnuge Is vastly les
than the cost Of cquipping and operating
the broad.gauge. a.
4. That Tor transporting passengers W
narrow.gnhge is ns ftat, as cotniortaDlS
md as safe as tic brOnd.gaugc; Will
from the comparatively small cost o
building and operating the narrOw'gaug
team furnish lower rates oil iarC Than III
btOad.gNuge. ........ .....-
A. That the narrOw.gauge can success
fully carry live stock, grain, lumber, an
in fact every class VI freight, at sayin
to the shipper Of at least 80 per cent OF I'll
cost Of shipping by the brOad.gangc;
d, That from their small cost Of cor
structioh, light, operating expenses, tn
fling interest account, and successful car
rying capacity, the narrOw-gauges nav
proved to be paying Investments,
6. That the narrow.gauges will suppl.
the great want Of the times.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
G. Il. Spooncr, an eminent railroad Ell
pineer Of England, says; "The introluc
ton Of railways on u narrOwgaige Il
growing necessity for opening district
where The broad.gauges would be ocostll
a. not to justify the outlay required 10
their construction, and where their az
plicatiOn would be the greatest pOssibl
boon to the public"
SMALL COST OF CONSTRUCTION
|. Thirty.six per cent less than III
In April, 1870, General W s. ltoSecrans
in letter to Colonel William il. Green
wood, asked this question:
"What average percentage OF econom
would there be in the first cost Of cor
struction and equipment OF three lee
over a four feet eight and n half inche
gauge railway. n,
Colonel urccnwood's answer: u al
satisfied that the saving in first cost o
location, grading, bridging superstruc
tnre, and rolling stock OF irst:clas
threc.icet road, like the Denver 4 ri
GrandC Railway (which have had u
honor 10 construct and operate from th
date Of its frat inception up to. tho pre-
cnt time), with thatof the usual STANDARD
four feet eight and a half inc hes gaug'
would he about SO per cent; and the Tire
feet road would be superior In every, =
spcct to the four feet eight and ha
inches road"
2, Thirtysovcn and half per cor