The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-06-07
VOL. TX.-NEw SERIES.
THE NARROW GAUGE SYSTEM ADVOCATED,
The following was written by Mr.. j. o,
Ar,nnll II

were advanced IL their favor. But since
shc building OF several narrow gauge roads
Ia Ohio, aud seeing their practical work inr,
sacts verified by experience Can now be pre-
scented to tho people. The narrow gauge is
1he farmers road it is the great street
'as'road of the country, run by stcam-thc
V"' stopping at convenient places when
'slgnallcd, for the farmers to get aboard to
go to their respective towns to trade, or to
visit heighbors, cheaper and more comfort
able than they can go otherwise absolutely
- place tbe-eld stygo sysfss,, or
che old steamboat system revived, put on
wheels and run inland; atfordins the
greatest accommodations to the people who
build and patronize them, in offering ia:ili-
ties for freight aud passenger traiiic, and
bcnehtting the communities through which
they pass by offering pleasant cars to ride
an and home market for the grain and
products Of the soil, at any point desired
with facilities equal to the standard gauge
and at a cost within the means of the com
munltics in which they are built. 1t is not
only the farmers road but the poor mans
road, the American road of modern times,
offering, when economically managed, good
investment when built through moderately
populated districts. The man who is SO
fortunate as to induce, by his energies, sub
scription, right Of way, and to influence the
narrow gauge to pass through his farm, in
front of his own door, has brought bless
ing upon himself and ncighbors. The
communities who are so highly favored by
these roads may indeed be considered for
tunatc in thus making their own circum-
stances.
AS people we are highly favored by
abiding our time and not investing in rail
road construction during the standard gauge
period, but have reserved our forces for
the present, utilizing for ourselves all of the
advantages gained by the standard gauge
experience, and adopting for che narrow
gauge system the most rigid and cconomi-
cal, on narrow gauge principles. AS a
people we are free with our own means and
ready to invest when opportunities are of.
fcrcd for fair rate of interest in return,
and there is no business in this country 80
promising of fair rcthrns as the building OF
narrow gauge roads through well settled
communities, if economically and judi
ciously managed in the interest of the
stockholders. The building of the stand
ard gauge roads in Ohio has cost on an av-
crage S52 900 per mile. The nrrrow gauge
can be built and equipped for less than SlO,-
600 per mile, thereby saving $4,000 per
mile over what it has cost Ohio roads, with
carrying capacity for freight and passcn-
gers equal to any business that may be Of
tcrcd to any railroad in this country, as its
carrying capacity is not measured by it's
gauge or tho size of it's cars, but by the
multiplicity of its trains. And practical
question here arises to the mind contcmpla-
ting the building of railroad: (Which
would L rather own when completed, n mar
row gauge with a capacity equal to a busi
ness that may he offered it at nominal cost
or standard gauge which would do no
more it built through the same community
with its additional cost Of contruction ~.
Standard gauge roads may be built at pres.
cnt cheaper than $50 900 per mile But
it is to our interest to build narrow gauge
roads even if they cost the same for con-
structlon as the standard gauge. 1t is
well known fact that the standard gauge
roads, of this country have been built by
Eastern and European capitalists, and nearly
all of the standard gauge roads have been
merged into grand trunk lines, the prcsi
tents and managers of which reside in the
large eastern cities. and practically look
only after the larger cities and the termin
of their respective lines, and when compc-
tition compels them at certain points, they
cut their rates in ruinous manner and arc
uc,hpelled to keep up their rates for local
points out Of necessity, to sustain themscl-
rcs--thereforc tendency to overlook and
ignore all of the intermediate, farming and
'lcnscly populated districts. Residing at
great distance and isolated as they are from
the farming districts, the people can have
no influence with them, hence have no
voice in the management. And why should
they? They have invested little or no
means ia these roads, bcause the great cost
of building roads has heretofore debarrcd
them from entertaining propositions Of this
nature The low cost of the narrow gauge
interests men of less capital, and is within
the grasp Of the farming community and
people who reside along the line of projcc
ted roads. They build the road and own it,
and elect their directors from men in whom
they have confidence To oncrotc IL for thnn