The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-04

WROUGHT Iron CRoas- AND GIIAIRs.-At
Tia autumn meeting of the Institute. ~ Liver
ppOl some three wesls ago, the association OF
civil and mechanical engineers discussed tho
relatiys merits of steel and iron and tho defects
~ forging. But the most interesting paper was
one read hy Mr.. Wood on tho wrouRhe Iron per
mnnent way laid on the Northeastern Railway.
The subject Of wrought iron Reopors to super
aade wood on railways ia not II now one. nor ts
II the rot timn 1t has been broached at tho Liv-
erpnol Institute Even In this country plan
for sleepars compounded partly OF wrought
and party OF cnst iron Was published IN the
Scientific American some saven years ago. hnh
found ts way subsequently,. with accompany
ing Illustrations into tho columns OF Appleton
Journal Still moro recently. M was stated IN
tho Baltimore Sun y fow weeks ago o wrought
iron sleeper, invented by Mr. Henry Rosse OF
Baltimore wni Exhibited ut tho st. Louis fair.
On the Continent during tho last yoar or two.
iron seepers hnve boon laid down On parts OF
several railways and it is said that they con
tlnue 70 grow In favor. In tho United States
they have not yet been subjected to trial. pToba-
bly, because Of the relative cneapnesa OF wood.
IN England wronght-iron Shoppers were
used for tho FIRST time about six months ago, On
two miles of The track OF the Northeastern Rail-
way bot ween MIddlesbrough and Stockton. and
Il was this sleeper with its clip chair to which
MI. Wood called the attention of tho institute
described the process Of manufacture. and T.
Illustrated by specimens OF an vi aleopor and
rails for narrow gauge railways. ZIG
stated Tint ANAL railway llike tho Fes-
tinog HALLWAY In Waloe, the first Of its kind
| built I'm England and the most successful, d
a. inch gauge with 90 III stool rails. wrought
iron slcnpers Joint chairs and X va complete
oould BIO supplied Mt tho rate Of $500 (fl5O0 POI
| milo Such a limo IA feeder to Il main trunk OF
for peighborhood uses, would carry" he said
m locomotive of six tons weight and trucks ca
pablo of carrying four tons OF merchandise
each. or O gross load On level OF from eighteen
"a twenty tons each train passing over tn
road consisting of the locomotive and tender
and three trucks carrying each four tons
The experimental piece OF wrought iro'
railway on the Northeastern line hnt
been visited, no said by most Of tho Loading
| railway engineers and had crented ~ considern
ble amount Or interest In other quarters. o.
the continent. where the uao Of wrought iro
sleeners Ia extending. thoy are regarded az
source 81 grsat economy for tho reasons thu
the rails laet longer than tho sleepers are NJ
spoilt in the case of train getting of the rohC
and that a damaged sleeper can be- repaired 9
q small cost. while wooden ones are rendere
useless. In closing Mr. Wood gave an astimat
Of the cost at which wrought iron crosstiea an
chairs could be supplied. Ia which he showed
saving Of s1oo 1880, per mile as compared VIII
wood taking tho lifo OF mn iron crosstie ct fort
years and that Of q wooden one. which being
pine. Ia England. do not last longer than rol
} f1ye ia seven years.