The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-07-27
$4,000 90

out cross-tes to be done by convicts.
Judge 7. J. Mackcy being called upon, all
dressed The meeting. lie said:
The great problem of the age is cheap trans
-portation: transportation Of the products of
the earth from the land to the Sea-
This will DO admitted. Int tho objection is
urged Of the poverty of the country; that the
people are tco poor to build the road. But if it
be admitted that the products of country are
worth transporton, then the Country is able to
build the road. The products of this country are
worth transportiou. They and will continue
to be transported and the country is able TO build
the road We should build according TO our
means. We should build n cheap road. It is the
fashion of the times to build cheap roads. The
Roman Soldier was instructed to move a step for
ward if his sword was found to he too short If
we cannot build costly roadl let US build q cheap
one. BY combined effort VIC can accomplish it.
1t is true that the Counties Of Chester and Union
have been greatly exhausted by the results of
| the war and BY excessive taxation. They arc
III the condition of the unfortunate mule that
had the misfortune to tumble into well. AT
ter fruitless effort to cxtricatc him it
thus end his suiierings and accordingly earth
was thrown upon him; but to the surprise of
all it was found that the sagacious animal had
made use of the earth to extricate himself; he
had risen by the very means intended for his
destruction. Let us take a lesson from the mule,
anil by the calamitics which bcsct rise to
prosperity by increased cxertion.
The Presiding officer of the meeting, who is
an experienced and practical railroad man, has
told us of the low cost Of iLc construction Of
the road, and there can be no doubt that the
road can be built to croSs Broad river at or
near Lockhart Shoals, for less than the estimate.
1t should not be attempted to reduce the grades
to los feet per mile, rs in other roads, but we
should surmount grades of 200 feet per mile.
laying the cross-ics, near may be, upon
the surface of the earth. II is doubtless true
that those roads which are nearest horizontal
are cheapest III the long ran, but those which
follow more nearly the inequalities of the ground
are cheapest to build. And mankind are like
greyhounds-they run by sight. Build your
roal upon the cheapest system, and when the
revenues of the road warrant, and lands appre-
catc, then improve your road
Another objection urged is, that the cars arc
so narrow they are apt toupset. But this is not
true There is higher safety in the Narrow
Gauge than in the broad garge. The track of
the Narrow Gauge is 3 feet and the arc 35
feet long. In the broad gauge the track is feet
inches and the cars are from 10 to 81 feet in
length. In the broad gauge the platform or lev
el Of the floor is 81 inches in height. AMI in the
cars are ii feet wide, the Narrow Gauge to 8
feet. The effect of the lowering of the centre
of gravity in the Narrow Gauge car is to make
| it more difficult to overturn. Many accidents
are caused on broad gauge roads by the breaking
Of aXlcs, by what is called the tortion strain
of the axle. The Narrow Gauge axle being =
feet shorter, and the diameter being equal, the
shorter is less liable to break The speed at
| tanned is sufficient for all practical purposes
% miles per hour be easily attained. On
the Chester & Lcnoir Narrow Gauge Road, as
occasion has demanded, 30 mios and over per
has been made The cost of construction is 90
per cent Of the broad gauge, and the cost Of opc
rating is much less
The Narrow Gauge system is revoluionizing
this Country. They have been in use about rs
years. The first of tho kind was the Port Ma
doc & Fcstinog r. r., III Wales. With gauge
of feet and with engines of---tons, n speed
of 20 miles per hour was regularly ran. Since
that time Narrow Gauge Railroads have multi
piled greatly, and now, in Scotland England,
India and the United States, there arc thousands
of miles. A road is now being built from Lou
isvillc to Maysyillc. ky. a distance of 40 miles
Judge VI. read communication from Il news
paper relating to the Denver & Rrio Grandc
II. r., q feet gauge, showing that much sharper
curves are now made, and that one gradient of
2l1 feet and another Of 81 feet to the mile, has
been made over Dump Mountain.
We are told that the people are too poor that
the farmers all poor. But see the saving
Which is said to produce 10000 bales Of cotton.
To snip this Cotton to y. Y. now costs $3.50 per
bale fr"ri Chester To New I"ik. before The
builing of the Narrow Gauge Il. H., the price
wa. : -; since !hc bull lin. Of the Narrow
eau. =" + f. It'll -. 80. Il IS Not supposed that
i rr,l r.-' any ,o",. t,.n iui., tr Ncy York
'han 'r,m Cnc~tcr to y. :, after N,c c"r.l ion
Of 'lc r1ol 1'c liFcrruc, III make saving
~ N.""n l"r lnnum - rni.r County a. ,uo