Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-04-03
zoraI ano State MINIS.

inc gauge - NoihP''"'''N
rev thing in America. it is no mere experiment
|. marks new era 10 the history Of railroads.
Last year more than ? 100 miles of this width
road W. re in successful operation in the United
States, and more than G000 miles more were under
contract and building.
When George Stephenson was making the first
railway locomotive which proved successful, he
int led the wheels TO be four feet and nine iqcscs
apart, which was the space between the wheels
ofthe ordinary highway vehicles in England-bu
by some chance, when the machine was finished it
fitted track Of feet 81 inches gauge. Daring
the railway enthusiasm which prevailed all over
the world after Stephenson's brilliant accomplish.
mcnt, various gauges were tried by rival cngin
eers,-7 feet, G feet, 8 IL feet, feet, tc,-and
there was earnest, controversy-which was
octcntimes bitter,-.or twenty years, as to the
merits of the different gauges. AT last Stephen
sol's partially accidental gauge feet IL in
chcs-the ndrrOWeSt one tried, tIiumphanty pre-
vailed; and the practical railroad men Of to day
wonder why there could ever have been any seri-
Gus question as to its economy and merits over
broader gauges.
But the art Of railroad making had not reached
perfection even when the gauge of Stephenson
won its victory. The first locomotive, like Fu-
tons first steamboat, admitted of improvements,
and the gauge Of the first road nearer per-
feet than the locomotive which travelled upon it.
Indeed the experience of many of the most en-
lighteded engineers goes to prove that a consider
ably narrow gauge than the old Stephenson gauge,
would be cheaper and preferable for most of the
present railroads of the world.
Ia lS32-fory- five years sgo-a road of % ID
Festinog Rslway-was constructed 10 one Of the
slate quarry ing districts of Wales, which has been
operated by steam locomotives since 1862
This miniature railroad has worldwide fame,
having been inspected by kings, emperors, princes
and royal comm issions of Europe and Asia, and
by engineers and travellers of all civilized nations.
This little road, the financial success of VIII ch has
been immense, was the pioneer Of the present
ndrro,o gauge railway systems of Norway, Bel
GUM, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Rus
sia Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil,
Peru Mexico, the Canadas, and the United States.
This new departure is being carried out very ex
tensvely at the present time in the United States.
II was introduced into America in 1871, by Geo.
Iaidlaw of Toronto who, ing no way Of rails
ing money to build old gauge roads, adopted at
the suggestion of Carl Pihe the government en-
gineer of Norway, the 3 - feet gauge. that be-
ing the natons gauge in that country. AT the
presen time. only years later, about 1000 miles
of this gauge road has been built and is be-
iuc operated in the Canadas alone. In 1871
ground was also broken for the Denver & Rio
Grande railroad, 8 feet gauge, $50 miles long,
more than e-third Of which has been built and
is now operating. Since this road was begun eighty
nth a, Of tha bc,n tad
Tor in twenty six different States of the Union,
sggregating a distance of 1928 miles, more than
two thousand miles Of which are being operated
with profit to-day.
The engineers of the United States have adopt
ed by general consent. the 3-feet gauge instead
Of the Norway Canadian gauge of 3 10 feet, the
former being found ample Tor all practical purpos-
es and the most servicable for carrying every va
riety Of freight. The Boston, Revere Beach Il
Lynn railroad, nine miles long is feet, and sew
oral others contemplated by the capitalists and
railroad men of Boston, are to be Of that gauge.
The facts stated above prove conclusively that
the 3-feet gauge, which is recommended TO be the
gauge between Augusta and North Arson, is no
new tangled yankee notion, no Utopan scheme,
no doubtful experiment, but a tried, proved,
cheap and profitable gauge. As TO its capacity for
passenger and freight traffic it may be confident
ly asserted that no broad gauge road in New Eng
land and hardly in the United States, is doing
90 much business that it could not all be dore on
the 3-feet gauge at reduction in running eSpcns-
cs alone OF from % TO 80 per cent.
We will supplement the above statements by
resume Of the arguments urged in favor of the s.
feet gauge roads by practical men who have
tually operated them. 1t is from the pen of How
ard Fleming OF Phila lephia.
First. The cost of constructing a railway is
.1xv tho IF ita in
countries the narrow gauge will be greatly less
than the proportion to its width, whilst on Hat,
level ground the proportion will be more; but taxi
ing the average Excluding rolling stock. fencing
stations and telegraphs,) the cost will be found
to vary as the gauge.
Second. Every inch added to the width Of
gauge, beyond what is absolutely necessary for
the traffic, adds to the cost of construction, in.
crea es the proportion of dead weight increases
the st of working, and in consequence, increases
the Tariffs to that extent, and by that much rcdu-
ccs Il e useful effect of the railway.
Third. A saving, in first cost of construction,
equal to 80 per cent, is effected, owing to the ex-
Utility of the gauge, in allowing the DAD to be
built as to follow very closely the natural con-
tour OF the country, and to the reduction in grad
uatior bridging and superstructure. AS a COM
parison Of cost, we may take the Denver extern
sion Of the Kansas Pacific Railway, built under
the same engineering supervision as the Denver
and Rio Grande; the character of work on the
two roads being much the same, though that of
the ID. & X. G.. is somewhat the heaviest The
Kansas Pacific rail weighing ify-siy pounds
per yard the Denver and Rio Grande using rail
weigh NJ thirty pounds per yard Kansas Pacific
cost per r', with equipment, S23,500 Denver
and Rio Grande cost, per mile, with equipment
$4,000
The first cost of good Macadam highway is
$1,000 mile, aud there many narrow gauge
railways that have been built aud equipped for
$1,000 mile.
fourth. The dead weight of trains, conveying
either passengers goods, is in direct proportion
to the gauge on which they run or in other words
the proportion of nom paying to paying weight las
far as this is independent Of management is in
creased exactly the rails are farther apart be-
cause a ton of materials disposed upon narrow
gauge is stronger as regards its carrying power
than the same weight when spread out over
wider basis. In proof of this we need only cite
the case of the Fostiniog Railway. The wagons
used upon it, for carrying timber, weigh only u
cwt., and they frequently carry load of over l
tons, at a speed Of twelve miles an hour. In 9th
err words, these wagons carry as much as six
times their own weight which the best wagons
the ordinary English gauge do not carry much
as twice their own weight.
IN he napvor nd Rio Gro pda tho fre;oht cars