The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-02-18

THs NARROW We. rHs BROAD eAUer.

Ftou Tue ctAtf rfAlnef,
SIR Where they have hten triad,
narrow-gsuge railways have slways
proved themselves fully equal n th.
duties required Of them, and tht.e are
many good reasons why they should be
adoptea where cheap, speedy and reli-
able transportation IL needed, instead Of
cunbrous and far more costly broad.
gauge. Railways or rhr~e Tcef gsr rg-
with equal or even greater facilities than
the broad gauge for all the traffic there
is now or likely 10 be for many years TO
come, can be constructed on the best
route between tire same termini, for one
/ half to two-thirds the cost OF the broad
gauge. The more hiIly and broken the
surface Of The country is, the greater in
proportion is the difference Of cost IN
favor Of The narrow-gaugc. Marrow
Gauge roads are
PECULIARLY ADAPTED TO NIsERAL RE
GLOSS.
especially IL thsy are hii'y and broken.
a. is Tie case in the vast mineral sec
liiOMs yf Southern Indiana, tor the fol-
loving among many other reasons. viz
Frst. tiey adrlit of the use OF sharper
outveS. whereby the road can be made
10 wiAd around hill- aud through ra-
vines here the brus,a-gauge could not
be buit, unless at enormous cost. See
ona. the facility with which inexpen-
1--WE Drsnche. can be built from the main
line 20 adjacent miRes. furnaces. .actO-
IIes, etc. Third, the Gauge il such that
tue mineral csr- can I'm many case, b.
run into the mines and works. and
thereby save handling. besides being
less expen-iy. aud more handy 10 move
sboni. They can be owned by iron
coal and other companies. and run a.
aud irom fneiI WORKS To The main line
without sny delsy or expense 10 tire
railway, and thereby reduce the cost @!
bauling their own freight. Fourth. the
great saving Iva cost OF tran sportrtiOs
which has. in practice, been shown Ia
be from twelve 10 fifteen per cent. les
than is charged on the hroad-ganst
roads. Tire industries of the counsr,
are now sorely depressed by The exorbi
.'tan' charges OF broad-gange roads
which have been built with 4 cap4cit,
ten, and even twenty. times - eater thar
j. required of them and are obliged .,
charge or quit running. Nearly ail ih'
broao-giage roads OF Indians could
transport MANY times the freight tha
presenIs itself at present or j. likely Z,
until long after many OF them h,v,
gone Into the hands OF tile receiver
There can be
30 DoCEr A. TO InE MANY ADVANTAGE.
4 possessed hv the narrow -gsuoc for all
and especially for lnral traffic. and II
wosld be difficult 10 Dn,i locality thai
seeds road OF inis kiad worse. oi
would be more hen"iiirc hV H. con
structiou. than the great co.I region ui
Southern Indiana. Sur'i road running
from indianapolis 10 Evansville would
do more 10 dcvelvp aud bring into mar
ket the products OF the rich coal aud
iron ore deposits of Southern Il1iafs
than IL j. possible 10 estimate. II would
he the cause of opening innumrrnbls
mines OF the bet cvi! in The world lol
manufacturing iron and sieal and fos
many other purposes. II would cause
the erection OF blast furnaces. rolling
mills. potterics aud other industries Eew
lying dormant. the raw materials 10.
which are here In abuni ,gcs. Il wout
furnish market at home FOR sgrirnltu
raj products OF ~. rich fields and val
skilled mechanics aud lahurer~ u
would add morr To the prosperity o
both Indianapolis and Evansville thar
any other projected enterprise. an,
should secure the approval aud savror
of the best citizens Of both these cities
The building o. this rosi world greatly
increase the business prosperity of ere.
without detracting ia he lss.t fren
either. The best location can. of course
; be made only sGer acArcial survey q
the entire route. However. II app-ar
TO the writer that the follow ing. or p
, ,, near 20 il a. the suriacc Of the courtil
will permit, has many advantages: From
Indianapolis running ucaglN due soutl
on the east side or " hiis sivrr tihe
: have railway OK the west siuc) cross
ing the railroad from Aariiusviile q
franklin 81 Aahalas sisiIon. thence (
4 Bloomington, where Il WI ,''oss Tie {
: l.. & y. A. railroad. gtnce in y
! straight line as possible throug
Bloomfield, Washington snl Peters
, burg 10 Evansville. From the nesre.
+ oint. perhaps ia Madison townshi,
4 Daviess county, branch to Shox
/, should divergc. This branch should b
: considered a portion of the main line. \
1 there is very little doubt but II will dc
velop traffic but little, Il anything. in
Ifsrior to that Of the main line. 1her
9 IL road already built from Rockpor
. on the Ohio river, 10 near the town G
y iHuDtiRgburgh, in Dubois county, bl
!. unfortunately for itself. IL is = brca
lgsuge. II this road was rcdsced {
Ithree-feet gauge aud TO continue ,