River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-01-13
Narrow Gauge Roads.

there are several new roads contem-
plated in different parts of the coun-
try. From the Bureau Co. Republican
Qll.) we clip the following as an Illus
tration of our point:
There is ut present in successful and
profitable operation a narrow gauge
railroad from Des MONIES, Iowa, to
Ames,a small village thirty-eight miles
north of the former place. The people
Of Webster City, a thriving town on
the Dubuque & Sioux City road, about
thirty miles north from Ames, desir.
ing its extension to that point, recent
! ly appointed q committee consisting Of
Messrs. Hyatt, Funk and Hunter, to
visit the officers of the Des Moines &
Minnesota narrow gauge company and
receive their proposition for extend
! ing their line from Ames to Webster
City.
At a public meeting held afterwards
in Webster City, the committee made
their report, of which we publish that
| portion which serves to show what Il
narrow gauge can do up and down the
knobby prairics of central Iowa. The
committee says:
1--WE drove to Ames and at p. NJ,
| started over said road to Des Moines,
our party having been joined by j. j.
Smart, vice president and superintend-
ent of the road. We reached Des
Moines, a distance of SO miles, in two
hours and twenty minutes, making six
stops on the way. Our first object was
| fn q mi ~ Of
gauge.-We observe that the starting
and stopping of the train, the motion
of the cars when running, the rate of
speed, the weight of the cars and their
carrying capacity, the weight and pow
er of locomotives, the grade and con-
struction of the road bed, &c. Our
conclusion is that the narrow gauge
starts and stops smoother and quicker,
and runs steadier at the same rate of
speed, than the broad ordinary gauge,
and can with safety be run as fast;
while it can be run on grades and
curves not practical on broad gauge
| roads. The weight of engines used is
II tons, or about half that used on the
ordinary gauge. the weight of freight
cars about 1000 pounds, a little more
than one.fourth of that used by the
broad gauge, carrying capacity 10000
pounds or four-Rfths that of broad
gauge. \ single engine will draw l6
loaded cas, carrying $50, 0O0pounds of
| paying freight. These figures, in con-
nection with the relative cost of the
usual and narrow gauge railroad de-
monstrate that freight can be carried
ut Il little more than one-half of the
cost on the broad gauge.
Our next inquiry was asto what the
road already constructed was payingl
| To enable us to arrive at a definite con-
cluSion on this point, we were shown
the books OF the company and had be-
! fore us the cost of construction, OF
rolling stock, side tracks, depots, &C.,
as well rs the earnings and expenses of
the road. While we do not feel at lib
erty to abuse the confidence of the of
licers of the road 10y giving the figures
| in detail to the public, we do not hest
tate TO say that the road is paying u
good net per cent. on its cost, and its
business is daily increasing. We are
also satisfied that an extension of the
road TO Webster City will greatly in
crease its business"
The committee also reported an offer
for the extension of the road which
would seem to place its cost of con-
struction, righs of way, station houses,
water tanks, &C., at about $1,000 per
mile.
To this subject we have devoted OH
siderable space, within few weeks
past, and now we Shall leave il for the
consideration of those more directlyin-
terested than we are, though we believe
it belongs properly to every property
owner, or business man in this place to
candidly examine the question of
building such a road TO Hudson, and,
if deemed practicable, to take meas
ures to secure its completion. We
think there is a move being made in
the right direction, and hope it will be
successful. The idea of ever obtaining
any other than Morrow Gauge road
to this place seems now to be pretty
much abandoned. That a Narrow
Gauge will sooner or later be built, we
have not the least doubt. Prompt and
efficient action will bring ii at an early
day; but indifference and neglect may
! mt H. off for many ypnrg IN come