Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-12-12
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a very Narrow 0aues.

"a $500. 6
Boston Correspondence Of the New York Even
ing Express.
There Is something Aew under the
sun" in railroads. At least I have
seen no description in any New York
paper Of what has just been experi-
mentally completed in Massachusetts.
A perfectly working, safe-yes, much
safer than the ordinary-road -
been produced, and which will revo-
iutionize traffic In both passengers and
freight The cost and the price OF
both will come down one-haif, and
yet the companies can coin money
where they cannot now pay expen-
ses.
The young gentleman who cenceiv-
ed this plan 10 practical wood and
iron machinist, and also an engineer.
To show how narrow track may be,
and be practical and safe, with his
own hands he constructed 8 railroad.
having but ten inches width Of track.
from the elevated village of Hyde
Park down to the depot. He also,
with his own hands, constructed the
cars to run on the track. In these he
carried in six weeks over 5000 pas
sengers from the village down 10 the
depot, without the slightest Injury 70
any one. There were several short
curves on the way, and the track
crossed the highway twice. The peo-
pie of Billerica, wishing . road acrosu
through their town from North Bill
lerica, on the Boston and Lowell Rail-
road, to Bedford, distance OF eieht
and half miles, requested the pro
jector, Mr.. George +. Mansfield. q
come and give the people lecture On
narrow-track railroads. Some said
lit is chimerical notion !" but 9th.
ers said, "rhis 10 Of God and must
PREVAIL" and they gave . helpina
hand and secured movement 90 III
80 to get . petition for . charter from
the Legislature. The charter was IL
lowed. Then the right of way wa
secured gratis the whole distance
Two very able men gave the way only
because, % they said, II was only
visionary, crazy-headed scheme. and
would never be accomplished, Bul
next the stock was subscribed. Reu
Butler went in for one-fiftieth of the
whole stock, which was $4,000
Then came the building of the road,
which was completed by the 1st Of
September, so that cars passed over
the entire route that day, and secured
the right Of way. There are eleven
bridges on the route, one over loo feet
long. The rail weighs twenty-five
pounds to tho yard, which 10 quite
strong enough twenty pounds
would do. The road 10 well built
and equipped one grade 10 155 feet
The cars and engines Of the road
will at once attract and flx the atten.
ton. They are very well proportion.
ed and make very handsome appear.
ance. The engine IL behind the ten.
der and next to the cars, 90 that when
the train moves the car next to the
engine draws down upon and increas.
es the adhesion Of the engine to the
track. Both engine and cars are con.
structed 80 as to be very near the
ground, giving great advantage In
regard to safety, also very little oscil-
lation. The cars have an aisle with
one seat on each side, in the same
manner as ordinary care have two
| sCot0' Ah0 AOu6GA Va IuO III 8llVWu
thirty seats, each person having seat
to himself. The cars are warmed
with steam, well ventilated, have clos.
cts, water tank, all the modern i'm.
provements, Westinghouse brakes
etc. They weigh but four tons and 1
half, ordinary cars Weighing ON On
average eighteen tons. Hence Mans.
field will carry sixty persons with
cars weighing nine tons, while ordi.
nary roads must draw eighteen toni
to carry fifty-six persons. The en-.
gines are equally light, and cost lesl
than on ordinary roads. It 10 quite
evident that road eight and q hall
miles long, which cost, equipped, g..
500 less than $4,000, and which can
be run for half the expense upon ordi.
nary roads, must be great and nota.
BILE achievement. The road cost a.
500 per mile. The trains run abou,
twenty-five miles per hour. Engines
weigh about eight tons, and draw
two passenger and two freight carr
twice per day each way, at . cost OF
coal only one-fourth that Of ordinary
engines,