The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-03-26
Few Ta.en. Steam Mules.
NV York Times, 3D..

The steamship Erins WHICH mas Juss 81
rived, brought with her number OF road
locomotives and trains of wagons destined
for the far West, where they will be EN-.
ployed 10 the transportation Of minerals and
general merchandise. They are intended,
az far as possible, TO replace mule power
the slow and expensive tractile force at
present In use--and will form connecting
link with railroads now completed and with
Others which are being constructed. The
vehicles, which were built In Rochester,
England, will be shipped by the represen-
tatiye of the manu- facturers in This city, to
whom they were consigned, by rail, TO
Wadsworth, Nevada. On their arrival
there they will at once be put 10 work on
certain central routes In that State az ioi-
lows From Austin, down the Reece River
Valley, to San Antonio, Montezuma, Aleda
Valley, and Gold Mountain {; from Austin p,
through the Big Smoky Valley, by Hot
Springs, Jefferson, Jet, and Pea Vine, to
X. lIston Valley; from Wadsworth, through
by Walker Lake 70 the Virginia Salt Marsh,
Beileville, Columbus, Csndelaria and Silver
Peak; from Eureka, through the Little
Smoky Valley TO Typo, Hot Creek and Rev
ellie, and from Eureka To White Pine, ward,
and Phoebe. With these pioneer road en-
gines, experienced engine drivers have been
hGUt IHElhuh LbD Put spa" ~ wv
ing as Instructors to the Western engineers
In manipulating the engines. But little in
structio, will, it Is believed, be required, as
ordinary mechanics and smiths soon become
proficient. Large numbers Of these engines
are constantly in use IN the British, Italian,
French and Russian Armies, and 1t is found
the ",simple sOldier-smith"-G quoting from
an official report OF Gen. Victor Demiano-
witch, Of the Russian Army, to his Govern
ment-" when we'll instructed, becomes the
best driver of road engines"
The engines adopted 10y the Nevada Steam
Transportation Company, which is the
title Of the corporation Of capitalists who
have bought them, and who intend TO work
them In the West, are very similar TO those
used by the Governments above mentioned,
differing only in the fact that they are un
provided with a crane, which Is fitted on
occasions TO the engines in the European
armies, and Is used for placing large ord
nance In position and the lifting Of other
heavy weights. The leading Characters.
tics Of the engines brought by the Erin are
simplicity, with great power and strength
They weigh about seven tons each. and are
rated at i2 10 IA horse power. They have
horizontal boilers, which are htted will
large fire. boxes for burning almost any de
scfiption of fuel, and water tanks are aftix
ed CAPABLE of holding supply for three OF
four hours The engines are 80 arranged
that they can be used for turning fixed
machinery. The driving wheels are 7 fee
In diameter and IL inches in width, anc
the steering or front wheels are feet II
diameter and . inches wide, An importan
advantage In the road locomotive Is tina
10 case OF need the road wheels can be re-
placed by the ordinary flaDge wheels TO
running on rails. Those brought by thu
Erin have an important addition, in thu
shape OF winding drum, fitted 70 tn
driving axle, capable Of holding from D.
TO 100 yards OF coiled rope, which can b.
employed In hosting heavy weights aud IL
hauling the loaded wagons up otherwise
impracticable grades. A trial of this move
addition was made before the locomotive
left England. The engine used for the ex
pertinent was one of 20 horse power, ant
it had hauled in the ordinary manner, ON
roadway varying In grade from on foot II
twenty TO one foot in ten, and with sUeau
pressure Of 100 pounds, a load of ~ ton
Of iron on four wagons, tho aggregate
weight Of the wagons and their loads be
ing 40 tons. When certain hill having
grade of one foot in ten had been reached
the engine was brought to q sland-still b.
the load. The brakes were applied to thu
wagons, and the engine was detached ant
steamed higher up the hill to grade 0
one foot Ia eight. IL was made fast to tn,
load. which was further increased by thu
addition Of an extra engine weighing II
tons. The whole tram, aggregating 81
tons, was then pulled mp by the winding
drum, without a snatch lock, to aud on tn,
grade Of one foot in eight where the loco
motive stood.
One engineer and two laborers are all tn,
manual force necessary for the mani gemen
of each train, and on moderate roads, with
grades not exceeding ] foot in IL, eacl
engine of the size sent to Wadsworth vii
haul from 10 to IL tons of paying load, AMI
travel at an average speed Of three ant
one.half miles per hour. Two or thre'
wagons, each capable of containing from
five to six tons weight, and the engine
form the train. The wagons are coupled
together and TO the locomotive by stroni
coupling bars, and the whole train follow
exactly ia the track o; the engines, ever
when turning sharp curves. The total cos
Of hauling by the road locomotives, it i
estimated, will range from to W cents pc
mile, varying with the condition of roat
and load. This Is probably not one-fourtl
Of the cost of doing similar work will
mules. The ordinary mule team, consist
ing Of 10 mules, with heavy wagons capa
BILE of holding o to 10 tons, will not averag
more than two miles an hour. The frs
cost OF the locomotive, with it's train o
wagons, compares favorably with the frs
cost Of the mule-team and wagons. 1t j
believed, however, that 1t will be map
years before the traction engines can abol
ish the use of mules on the Western roads
as the latter may be employed where
would be difficult, IL not impossible, 70
the engines to travel Duiing the past ST.
months surveys aud inspections of tn
different freighting routes OF Nevada, Ne,
Mexico, and Utah have been made by com
petent persons. and the practicable fror
the impracticable districts carefully dis
tinguished. Reports from other point
have been forwarded here to the partie
interested in the scheme, and as the de
mand increases for Improved freightin
facilities In other directions, the number Z
engines will be multiplied, and the field Q
operations enlarged. Before the close Q
1850, the transportation company propose
to have the more important parts of th
States referred to sufficiently well covere
to branch out and increase as nec ssity ma
require. IL has already been ascertaine
Deyonu uouut tnaJ there ARC at tuis tiu'
tens of thousands Of tons Of material carte
bv mules from place to place in the district
named, which can be more speedily tran,
ported by properly-constructed road engine
aud under proper and systematic manage
ment, for considerably less than half th
present charge. Abundant supplies of OF
are kept out of the market by reason {
enormous rates demanded for transports
t,au In many eases rhe decreased cost 4
conveyance by road engines will make,
is believed, this practically WORTHLESS
property valuable. The cheaper means ,
transport will develop new districts an
assist very materially in increasing til
profits Of existing enterprises.