The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-10-02
Shall we have NarrOW-Guage
Freight Iime~3

In Seribner for Septem Der, Mr.. 5. d.
Diilaye discusses the transportation ones
+ ton in detail in advocacy of a narrow
gu3ge "pure freight line, to be built and
ing paragraphs will show the drift of his
argument:
The question. "How shall we cheaper
trans portation z" Is one OF paramount i'm
pOrt1nce. | propose ~ answer it. the
/ profits on agriculture and on manufactured
articles constitute, TO great extent, ma
tlonai wealth these profits depend largely
upon the cost of transportation. Lord
Bacon says that fertile soil, busy work
shops. and cheap transportation constitute
the immediate means of the wealth of a
people. Transportation is now dear: it
should be cheap. 1t is INSTRUCTED by mo-
nop9lies; it should be open TO all. lie is
subject To conditions which double its cost
from which it should be relieved.
Railroad transportation is cum bersome.
inefficient and needlessly expensive. 1t
demands power it cannot utiliz+, dnu bling
its cost. 1t makes the carrying of passen-
gers its primary, and freight its secondary
object, at the expense OF the products of
the land Ii is inefficient because its road
ways, its engines aud cars are construc-
tel, owing to the width OF gauge, as to
require four tons of dead weight to carry
one ton of freight, and needless expense in
structure. sacrificed by the force it is COM
PEELED 10 support; a system is practical
which can be made to carry two and eight
tenth tons of freight to one ton of dead
weight, ard in the same ratio diminishing
wear and tear. Ii is needlessly expensive,
for the present system costs forty per cent.
more for roadway, and third more for
operating expenses, while it can do little
more than a third the work the less eXpen-
sive system can perform.
These assertions needoproofs. | proceed
to Offer them. The railroads between the
Mississippi valley and the Atlantic, except
rhe New Cork Central and portions of the
Pennsylvania, have been built, equipped,
and are worked upon a theory which has
been demonsir rated to be unfit for freight
transportation. The gauges all run from
four feet. eight inches 10 five feet, six inches.
and six feet. The war of the gauges has
resulted in the victory of the narrow gauges.
In the mountains of Wales, slate mines in
vited capital Easy and cheap transporta-
Uion were essential to profit. Thirteen miles
separated Festiniog, the place of the mines,
from Port Modoc, the seaport TOR shipping.
The route was mountainous aud difficult.
Festiniog is 700 feet ,bove Port Modoc. The
route had to be scOoped out of mountain
sides, while ravines continually Intercepted
the way aud had to be crossed by wall
works and stone embankmentS. So
crooked WAS the route, that its line was al
most a continual repetition of the letter s.
Its curves were SO sharp that moderately
long train would be on three curves at the
same time. These obstacles were in the
heroic tram-way was constructed with
TWO feet guage, ana a slXteen-pOund rail,
which in few years was replaced by a
thirty pound rail, and the track was adapt
ed to steam engines. After eighteen years
use the thirty pound rails were replaced by
fortV eli ght pound rails. The original cap
ita stock was G360O0. The earnings ex-
pended in construction increased the capital
TO esq. 900. making the cost $4,000 per mile.
1t pays 2912 per cent. on its original, and
l2l5 on its present capital. 1t is worked
with the FairIie engine, and is the most
successful railway in England. This state
ment raises the question, Why is it that
this narrow guage road has always paid
large dividends, when nearly every wide
guage in great Britain has failed To pay?
In answering this, [ shall demonstrate that
narrow guage roads are essential to cheap
transportation. [ shall proceed to proofs
by showing, first: saving in construction;
second: in equipment; third: in dead
weight; fourth in increased relative pow
er to cary freight; fifth: decrease In wear
and tear: sixth: decrease in running ex-
penses. Establishing these positions, |
shall proceed to inquire, seventh car pure
freight road be made to pay 4? eighth how
should such a road be operated? Finally,
| shall show the demand for cheap trans
portation and compare the relative ability
of our water means of transport with that
of narrow-g uage roads.