Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-09-27
lanes One Rail Railway.


We have received o letter from
David James, the inventor OF q
single track railway, from which
we reproduce the following figures
of the estimated cost Of the double
rail road now in use, with descrip-
tion of the mode of constructing
and operating the single rail road;
"The value Of railroads and rail-
road property in this State must be
near one hundred millions Of dol
lars. The anpual interest on this
amount must be at least ten mill
lions; the loss on rails, damages,
repairs, accidents, etc., ten millions;
running expenses, high salaries,
etc., ten millions more; profits ten
millions. An actual tax of forty
millions of dollars to be paid by
the producer and consumer. Al
lowing these figures to be correct
and the population Of this State to
be eight hundred thousand, 1t is q
tax OF fifty dollars per head for
every man, woman and child in
tho State. Besides.
the immense amount of money in
vested In this expensive system of
railroads, is out Of all proportion to
the money invested in other enter.
prises that give vitality and add
wealth to the country. II q sys-
tenn of railroads was introduced
that would answer the same pur-
pose at saving on first cost on the
roads now in use of ninety millions
of dollars and the other expenses
that have named, there would be
q direct saving of forty-five dollars
per head to every man, woman and
child in the State, or y tax of hve
dollars per head instead of fifty dol
lars; and there would be ninety
millions Of dollars to invest in en-
terprises that promise prosperity,
that would give employment to
labor, encourage and be invested In
manufactures, increase irrigating
facilities and make the State the
foremost in agriculture of any State
In the Union.
"I have lately secured letters
patent for system Of railroad and
cars that combine all the essen
tial features to insure its success
safety, speed and economy, beyond
the doubt Of the most skeptical. It 10
eminently practical and construct
ed on fixed principles Of philosophy
that neither depend upon expert.
ment nor speculation for . salts
factory result.
"The track simply requires two
foundation rails of the dimensions
of 5x7 inches, laid on ties Axe, four
feet long, two feet apart, and
top-rails or ribbons 1x7, saturated
with hot ssphaltum and tar, making
the square or the rails ext inches,
or SO, $50 feet Of lumbe to the mile
in the rails, which, at $50 per
thousand, Is $3.50 20 to the mile.
The ties will not cost for the road
over $50 to the mile. 1 calculate
that the track, over level c0un-
try, can be built, where the lumber
can be brought direct from Puget
OVAhui AVk ACoo ShsA %AIVVV P0I
mile.
"rhe cars have only two broad.
faced wheels, l6 inches wide aud
four feet In diameter, with a v
fiange in the centre, two inches
wide at the heel and three inches
to the point, that fills the space be-
tween the rails, and the space con-
trolling the heel of the flange
keeps the point TO the centre of the
space or groove, SO that under no
condition can the point of the
dange cut the rail or make any
abrasion on the inside of the rails
or garry the wheel out of the groove
or off the track. The floor Of the
car is swung and suspended from
trunions that have q bearing on a
line with the centre Of the broad
faced wheels that support the car
at each end, using the face of the
rails as a positive base. That Sc
cures q fixed equilibrium that
neither depends upon velocity or
activity to retain 1t. Besides, the
whole weight of the ear is dropped
below the center of the wheels and
down ON the rails as close as possi-
BILE, leaving room only room for the
car to clear itself.n