The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-03-09
Narrow huge Railroa1s.-Shall we
have one to St. Croix Falls?

After a trial of forty-tive years it
has been pretty thoroughly demon
slrated that the wide gauge rail
roads have generally proved fail
ures, and those Of the standard
g 'uge OF four feet eight and half
inches, three-tourths of them are to
day in state of bankruptcy. The
gauge controls the cost of con
structIon and the cost of maintain
ance. SIT can be shown that a
three-teet gauge secures the largest
unity in strength of the materials,
is of a magnitude equal to all the
conditions OF commerce, and takes
development beyond any conflict
with natures laws. The cost of
original investment and the cost of
operation as well, are reduced at
least forty per cent. 1t secures low
rates tor transportation; safety to
capital, and gives class of loads
whore success is the rule and failure
the rare exception. In pl actice, alSc,
these roads yield speed equal to
all reasonable conditions of com
merce, and in safety far excel the
standard roads"
It is found the great draw
back with the wide gauge roads is
the dead weight" proportion
OF paying to non-p"ying weight.
Thrty-fve hundreths more freight
Of the same character can be car
ned on the narrow gauge, with the
same to'al weight Of cars and load
as on the wide gauge. y narrow
gauge o@r with FIVE and q half tons
Of freight weighs no more than an
empty wide gauge car-so that on
the one road )! tons are moved to
The empty C on the other. On
the one road the cars weigh 81
Ons each and carry 10 tons, while
on the other the cars weigh tons
and carry tons.
The weight of the car. experience
has proven to be sufficient, as the
whole train being Ii ht they are not
subjected to any more momentum
or crushing force in proportion to
their strength than heavy wide
gauge car is; and small structures
IN proportion to their weight are
much stronger than large ones.
In carrying heavy cattle and horses
the per centage of saving is about
the same, with the advantage of
having them lengthwise the cars to
steady themselves; but with short
cattle the proportion of gain is
much greater, as they can be plac-
ed crosswise the car.
The passenger cars are 7 feet
inches wide inside, 50 feet long,
weigh 7 ] IONS, and seat SO pass en-
ger ; while the wide gauge weighs
l95 tons, and seats Sc passenger, or
one to each 696 pounds of car
weight. The cars are comfortable
and appear to give equal satisfaction
with those on the wide gauge. The
seats are for two on one side of the
aisle and one on the other; and the
cars can be fitted with sleepin q
berths to better advantage than on
the wide gauge.
The same rate Of speed is made
as on the ordinary wide gauge
road, but with far less risk, as the
train is at all times so much more
under the control ofthe enginedriver.
/ The weight of the train being only
one half, the momentum is reduced
in proportion, and in case of COLI
sion or being thrown from the track
theconcusSion is lessoned that much.
And there is less danger on sharp
curves, as the closer the rails are to-
| gether the less difference there will
be in the length, and the less slip
ping of the outer wheel required.
| Another great advantage in the
reduced size of the ears is apparent
when It is known that the probable
rage business Of the roads in the