The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-12-01
rsxAs Ann r, loom nArlwAY.
An Interesting Letter from Governor uub.
hard, showing the Many and Important
Advantages of the Marrow Gauge system

IN Interesting Letter from totefnor u"b-
hard, showing the Many and Important
Advantages 81 tho Marrow Gauge system
ofItaliways In Texas.
Hon. Thomas N. Pasohai and n l.. Gosllns,
Esq, castroyillc, Texas.
TYLER, Texas, October 20, 1881.
MY DEAN Sfns--I have the honor TO nc
knowledge yours of the 25th inst. In reply
have to say that the charter for the cx-
tension of the main line of the Texas 4 st..
Louis Railway calls for Waco, McLennan
county, and thence through the counties of
Coryelle, Lampasas, Burnet, Llano, Blanco,
Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Bandera, Medina,
Uvalde, Zavalla, Dimmitt and
Webb, terminating at or near Laredo on the
Rio Grande, with branch from q point in
the southwest corner of Uvalde county to
Eagle Pass. Our railroad seeks Laredo as
its western objective point, in order to con-
meet with what is popularity known as tho
'Palmer-Sullivan Narrow Gauge Railway"
which is being rapidly constructed from
Laredo via the City of Mexico to the waters
of the Pacific ocean, etc. The object being
to inaugurate an international as well as
internal system of narrow gauge rail-
ways, connecting st. LOUIS, Iole9o, Cincin-
natl and Chicago via. the States of Missouri,
Arkansas and Texas and the Republic OF
Mexico with the Pacific Ocean. The
GREAT MAIN LINE
of Narrow Gauge Railway will, Of course,
have friendly connection with every other
Narrow Gauge Railway, now already or be-
ing constructed in Texas and the South
west, including connection with;the' Den
YER & Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Railway"
NOW nearly 1000 miles long, by what is
known as the 'Mt. Pleasant & Dallas
Branch of the Texas 4 st. Louis Railway
to New Mexico. =.
Thus have briefly given you an outline
of our proposed system OF narrow gauge
railway in Texas. 1t is quite unnecessary
to those who have doubtless given this sub
iect some attention, as I've no doubt you
have, to discuss the comparative merits OF
the narrow gauge and the standard gauge
systems of railways. There is need and
room for both in Texas, and her wonderful
resources, and her vast territory capable of
sustaining population of forty millions of
people.
Without simplifying the argument state
the conclusion to which from reason and
experience the advocates of the marrow
gauge system of railways have arrived. 1t
is, that system which COSTS on an average,
81 500 per mile. fully equipped, as against
an average cost, similarly equipped, of $l5,-
600 per mile of the broad-gauge railways
and with the further fact, that the bonded
debt per mile.of the narrow-gauge railways
rarely exceeds $4,000 as against an average
bonded debt of $4,000 per mile to
broad-gauge railways with often second
or third-class mortgage bond superadded),
and finally, with cost of maintenance, re-
pairs, etc, of at least 80 per cent: less than
the broad-gauge railways. with such
system the problem OF
cHEAP. TRANSPORTATION
is readily solved- With the same bust
ness on these different gauges one of two
fesults is inevitable; First, The barrow roy q
of rates for freight and passengers can earn
double the interest on the capital invested;
or I'd, Can earn the same interest and de-
clare same dividends on tariff of rates fifty
per cent less than the present current rates
Of the broad gauge railways. Ii the prem
Uses as to cost of construction, maintenance,
repairs, ETC., be true, these conclusions are
legitimate and will be sustained by the
facts and figures of actual experience.
The question is sometimes asked, Has
the narrow-gauge roads the carrying capac-
ity to enable them to do the business of the
country and successfully compete with the
broad-gauge roads ? The answer is plainly
in the affirmativel The narrow-gauge
freight cars, to illustrate, will carry thirty
two bales of cotton, the broad-gauge carries
say 1000 pounds. Sixteen thousand pounds
being the average capacity of the narrow
gauge freight car and 10000 pounds
of the Nbroad-gauge freight car. With
compressed cotton the narrow gauge cars
can carry over 10000 pounds. And 1t is q
well known fact that Bremond's freight
cars haul the same number of feet OF lum-
cred good policy to exceed 10000 pounds.
Now let us apply the test With same
grade a sixteen ton locomotive of the mar
row gauge has, as generally recognized,
greater motive power than a twenty
four ga ton locomotive on the broad
gauge roads. The difference in weight,
friction, ETC., of the rail fthe one being, 80
pounds to the yard instead of 64) and other
reasons familiar to practical engineers. 30
that to a great extent what the narrow
gauge lacks in actual size or capacity to
carry the same bulk of freight, it makes in
the power to transport more freight cars
with the same locomotive tonnage. But If
the BUSINESS is offered
1T WILL PAY
Either system TO increase their power and
their rolling stock so as to meet any de-
mand of the future, however great, which
may be made upon them as common car
riers.
How is it now in Texas or elsewhere?
Stand on the side of any Of orr broad gauge
roads and in the winter season sometimes
two or three, or perhaps seven or eight
freight trains, each way, are run daily, but
in summer an average OF one
or two each way will do all the
business. If the business is offered
to either the broader or narrow guage roads
they can run trains, passenger and freight,
within fifteen to twenty minutes of each
other. There are twenty-four hours within
which these trains can run. SO That II be,
comes clear that if the business is offered
the narrow guage roads can and viii do all
that this country will demand for a half
century to come.
1t is sure movement in the direction OF
cheaper freights and fares, and if success
full will become, while not less profitable 10
the owners, a great and needed blessing TO
our people, We have already reduced our
rates to three cents mile and
i.still live" 1t will succeed, and as sys-
tem Within eighteen months or two
years we will have narrow gauge through
freight and passenger cars running
without change from st. Louis, To-
ledo and Cincinnati, VIA the great States OF
Missouri, Arkansas and Texas 10 Laredo,
thence through the Republic Of Mexico to
the Pacific.
| cannot close this brief outline without
paving a deserved tribute TO some Of the
bold and sagacious men who have set aioot
and propose 10 complete this great system.
central figures are such men as Gen
eral Palmer, President of the Denver
Rio Grande Railway; Col. J. w. Paramore,
II ST. Louis, President Of Texas 4 ST. Louis
Railway: General Corse, of the Toledo A
burlington Narrow Guage Railway, with
their financial hackers, the great banking
houses Of Worrish0fen and Of Kuhn. Loeb
2 Co. Of New York. These saeacious men
have. notwithstanding old prejudices, put
their brains and their millions into Tins
new system.
In Texas !. could not be just did not
mention IN the same col necfion with such
progressive men ~ the HOn. james
P. Douglas, Of Tyler. eoionsl