The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-12-20
County and City Official Pres
Wednesday, December 20.
A OVERALL RAILROAD.

The latest novelty in the way oi rail- /.
roais il a one-rail affair called the
Pr.moidal railroad. II its advantage
over the narrow guage improvement
prove as great rs those Of the latter
over the broad guage, 1T will he. en'i'
tied TO take . high rank among the
benefits to humanity 1t has been
ap.iy termed veIocpede; but perhaps
there is no better reason why steam
wheeibarrow might not run upon
rail superstructare A. we'll rs steam
coach
This eSpe,imcn. has st last been
tried Ia California, and, il H. Claimed
viii, entire satisfactory success. The
work was begun ou the 10th 1t August
by J. A. Kahn and few associates.
and has been finished II distance OF two
and onc-half miles. aud graded stiil
further. !. runs through salt marsh
in process of reclamation and IL de-
signed TO connect Sonoma city with
tidcwater on Sonoma Creek at a point
known a. Norfolk A total distance OF
six miles.
The material used in its construction
il principally lumberthc saperstruc-
ture consisting mainly of triangular
prism. formed of bevel plank framed
t,sether OH one edge making a width
at base of twenty seven inches and a
height Of eighteen inches terminating
in . central rail of iron on which runs
a wheel with double bangcs. fianked
propcf distance on each side 10y out
rider or stay wheels which roll along
the sides OF the prism and steady the
cars on the track. which are the same
width as for narrow guage roads.
One Of tho chief merits attributed to
this invention is its cheapness and con
ycnience. Only from $4,000 to o2,oo'
toet of lumber per mile according tf
style is required. and the cost is stated
ss~esnaaoao. r~-s.sae.s---.-.~v .Sss'---~~-~---;
sssss~~eS is claimed b be quite as ser.
viosable in the development of small
valleys. mines, etc. as more expensive
road. We clip tho following account
Of its working on trial trip from n
correspondent of the s +. Ba'ietn
The object of the excursion trip over
tho line Thursday was as the engineer
of the road. Mr. Darcy. (who is also
largely interested in L., quantity put it
ITO demonstrate which would lie on
top the locomotive or the rail" Rude
seats were provided for the two con
struction cars. which are the same width
rs cars running on broad gauge rail
roads. On these seats the members of
the party of eNcursionists. consisting Of
Supervisors Mcdonald and Drucker.
and delegation of private citizens from.
this city. and delegation from Sono-
una. took their seats The train had
Just como IN with load of workmen
from the front, SO whstevcr fear Of dan
ger any one may have previously en-
tertained. was dissipa.ed The train
,noved along smoothly. and notwith-
standing that the trucks had no springs
there was none If that Earring peculiar
TO double rail tram when in motion.
caused 10y the iog..at the end Of the rails.
The train travelled at the rate of ten
miles an hour, Il greater speed not be
ing possible. partly ewing to the short
ness Of the line. but more particularly
owing 10 the fosmipg Of the engine
tbrackish water being used for want of
better and the want of grease on one
Of the construction cars, which had
never been used before or oiled. The
exoursion'sts were unanimous in their
expression of satisfaction At the sue
cess Of tho first prismoidal railway in
Californin. It's friends and promoters
eisim that ii is peculiarly adapted for
small vsliies, isolated mining districts
and lumber regions. which cannot af-
ford 90 build and maintain either
broad or narrow guage railway. The
maximum cost of the prismoiaal is
placed at t5.on per mile. for building
and equipment the minimum cost. SAY
81. 500 per mile"
From the foregoing account Of this
Prismoislal Railway, if it continues 10
give As favorable reports Of It's future
WORKINGS. II is fair to conclude that lis
intrnduetion into this Territory wouIa
DC attended with advantage tor the
opening up Of isolated valleys. belt. If
timber. mines aud tracts e reclaimed
marsh that csnno, afford the expense
oi more costly railroad I. does 10,
ses'n - though the cost would he very
great 10 lay composite rail mostly Of
plank only eighteen fee, high and a
'''''e over two ieet III width =, the
base IN such a manner a. ,o s.s..;n -.
safe passage If train OF cars : -.
ordinary narrow eaage width Snh
noonomacal Improvements in ,fsn~no,
tAtion are of more sifiniiesnce in hi.
'ores, clad Territory than in other
States where the o,iis @; advantage ar.
'css considerable.