San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-02-01

What the Sswsh Heeds- Cincinnati and Eas-
tern Hsad-Beifs's Gap Rosd.
IRON the Sunny Soulful

} IRON the Sunny Soulful
Some few years ago all that was need
ed to procure the means of building q
railroad anywhere in the States, was to
get charter, locate a route and then
issue bonds for thirty thousand dollars
mile for the whole distance. The
longer the road the better, as the "pro-
moters" made larger haul, and the
Dutch, French, Germans and British
all cried for the privilege Of buying the
bonds at small percentage under par.
OF course our people utilized the gold
en- opportunity. Providence has en-
lowed them with good intelligence, and
they made in those good times many
railroads and many bonds. Now that
those years of plenty are past, we have
no cause to reproach ourselves with
neglecting to use them. Il Still more
railroads are wanted. We are not stand
ing still, and if our transatlantic breth-
rem will not furnish means to enable us
to build expensive lines, we must cen
raise enough out of our own resources
to build cheap ones. ..
There is room and need, now, in the
South, for fifty thousand miles OF
cheap narrow gauge roads, and the
sooner beginning is made in carrying
out narrow gauge radiating system,
centering ct the principal broad gnage
iermini now in existence, the sooner
will the South realize the era of pros
perity in store for it.
The last narrow gauge convention at
Cincinnati, recorded some valuable
statutes, but was terribly unsystematic-
al in its proceedings. The next con-
vention will we hope, supply a stand.
,rd by which the exact cost and capaci-
5y of narrow gauge road for any given
locality, can be accurately estimated.
Comparisons with narrow gauge lines
Of other countries are of little value in
estimating the cost OF work done by
engines, cars, rails and employees here.
Our best guide in future building, is
that furnished by the experience OF
American lines now in operation. The
following statistics gathered at the last
convention, will be largely extended at
the next one. In the interior they are
useful. A rail forty pounds to the yard
is desirable, but thirty-two pound one
will answer where the grades are light.
On the Cincinnati and Eastern road,
they use a Observation-Disclosures engine,
which draws twelve cars with eight tons
of freight in each-or thirty-six tons in
all. TIL, length of the road is fifty-five
miles, and the maximum grade is sew
enty feet to the mile. The estimated
cost of the road is ten thousand dollars
per mile, fully equipped and in good
running order. Of this cost one-half,
or five thousand dollars mile, is rep
resented by q bonded debt, the bonds
having been taken by persons living
along the line at eighty cents on the
dollar. The road has paid it's way from
the beginning. The cost of operating
it is forty-two per cent. of its gross earn
ings. Two trains a day, each way, are
run over the road, an express and a
mixed train, at the rate of fifteen and
twelve miles an hour, respectively.
Mr.. Joseph Ramsey, the engineer of
Bells Gap, Pa, Narrow Gauge Rail
way, states that it has been in success
full operation for six years. 1t is built
through mountainous country, and has
some heavy grades, the maximum being
three feet to the one hundred for dis
lance of seven miles. A thlrty-five
pound rail is used, and in the six years
the road has been in operation, only
five tons of new rails have been requir-
ed. Two-thirds of the rails are still
good for four or five years service.
The engines weigh sixteen tons. The
iron for the road cost one hundred and
four dollars ton-an enormous price =
and the road without equipment cost
ten thousand dollars, per mile. The
road is in operation nine miles. The
coal cars on it weigh two thousand and
two hundred pounds each, and carry an
average of seven thousand and five
hundred pounds each. The engines
make four trips a day, and are able to