The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-02-24

the common gauge, and its business ca
pacity, in the power of traction and freight
appliances, 0ne-ha!f The operating ex-
peuses, too, are disproportioned, as those of
the narrow gauge are about the same, ex-
cept the motive power, which is proper
tional, as those of the common gauge.
There are no pretensions TO originality in
treaing of the economies of the narrow
gauge railroad, but simply proposing'to pre-
sent the subject intelhgibly to the general
reader, theoretically as well az practically.
Much misconception, in both respects, is
conceived to exist in the public mind.
Narrow gauge railroads cannot reverse
mechanical laws. Yet they may be eco-
nonIically used when demanded by financial
necessities, and purely local business,
limited in extent by the capacities of a
single track. There are many instances
where the people are deeply interested in
the construction Of railroad for the sup
ply of coal, which, forits use in manufac-
lures and the domestic economies Of life,
has become necessity, and for cheap
and certain transit of their agricultural
products to the most favorable markets of
the country, and in the interest of then
commercial pursuits, and who, from de-
pressed monetary condition of the country,
or financial inability, are unable to con.
struct frst-elass road, but who would be
able to construct one on the cheaper and
inferior plan of the narrow gauge. That
it is cheaper, there is no controversy, and
that it is inferior there can be as little, and
though the operating expenses are proper.
tion ally greater, therefore the profit less
yet the stockholders find compensating ad
vantages not only in the investment of les.
capital, but in the fact that they are the
business beneiciaries of the road, having
built it themselves, for themselves.
There is another advantage of the cheap
er narrow gauge. The people who are in.
terested in the construction of the road car
build it themselves, without subiectinl
the control of their stock or the manage.
ment of the road to the oyershadowing infiu-
ences of foreign corporation, or speculat
ing capitalists, in which, it is the expert
ence of the country, their interests, as
stockholders, are usually merged.
The narrow gauge road would be wholly
inapplicable to the project, now in agita
ton. of the construction of what has hereto
fore been denominated the Hillsboro and
Piketon Division Of the Southern Ohio
Railroad 1t is eminently demanded that
this division, by whatever name it may in
future be known, as the connecting link in
the great chain of railway between the
Chesapeake Bay and Saa Francisco, should
be constructed on the plan of the standard
gauge, to conform with its connections.
Though the design and purpose of its
proposed construction is to accommodate
the coal and iron. and stone and timber,
and agricultural and commercial interests
of the country through which, and con-
tiguous to which, it is proposed to construct
it, and which may be made tributary to it;
and though but few years will elapse after
its completion till the local business will be
commensurate with the full capacity of q
frst-class single-track road, operated with
a first-class equipment, yet the full meas
ure of its importance to the country is to
be determined, ultimately, by its constitut-
ing part of what, in the distant future, is
to be the great thOrOuglt;ure Of tie railroad
business 6etloeeR the Alante and Pacific
oceans, for the reason that there is no
other road on the continent, for the same
continuous distance, with So low grades and
so light curyatures; not foot of the dis
tance, on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad,
from the summit of the Allegheny noun
tains to the Ohio River, 200 miles IN dis
taRce as actually built, exceeding in grade
30 feet to the mile, or curvature exceeding
four degrees; nor from Huntington, via
Hillsboro, to Cincinnati or Dayton, foot,
with any sleeper grade or sharper curva-
ture.
Therefore the Chesapeake Il Ohio and
Central Pacific Railroads, with their pro-
posed connections, offer facilities of trans
portation, with their better aligned roads
and lower gradients, superior TO any other
across the continent. Nor is it ehimera
of the imagination to predict, that the
trade between China and Europe will event
ually, to large extent, pass over this road.
when this intermediate link shall have
been made between the Chesapeake 4 Ohio
railroad and its western connections For
by report of the Postmaster General, the
time, by American Steamers, from Hong
Kong China, via Japan, to San Francisco,
was 81 days, and to Liverpool, England, via
the Suez Canal, by English Steamers, was
81 days. Add for rail from San Francisco
6 days, and for steam vessels from New
York to Liverpool IL days, Frequently
made in 10 days. and the time by San
francisco and Now York, to Liverpool,
from Hong Kong, is 90. days; being less
by days, than by English Steamers. The
rational inference then il, that, eventually,
the trade from China to Europe viii pass
through the United States, and for the reason
assigned, to large extent, over the Ches;,
Il Ohio road and its Western connections!
Upon the hypothesis, that the Hllsboro
& Plketon railroad is built, connecting at
the latter place with the Scioto Valley rail
road to Portsmouth, and the Ches. & Ohio
X. R. pushed on to Portsmouth, sn event
as certain as any in the future, because
the life of that road can exist alone upon
the contingency of its extension westward,
then, the connection of Hillsboro with the
Atlantic tide-water at Richmond will be
perfected; matter of more moment, to
Hllsboro and the surrounding country,
than any event of the past.
The road built to Piketon, this Eastern
connection completed, its extension Wes;
to Cincinnati and Northwest to Dayton, be
comes matter of secondary Importance tc
Hillsboro and the country interested in it
agricultural and. commercial trade, and oi
first Importance to those cities and the
country between them and Hillsboro, 81
well as to the Chesapeake & Ohio K. Il.
Hillsboro has now its connections, ant
so would that company have on the com