Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-11
THE GREAT RAILWAY OPPONESr.

THE GREAT RAILWAY OPPONENT.
The APPEAL has described the nature of
the great rival to railways which is about to
be started in England, and which appears
likely to greatly limit, if not destroy, the i'll
used powers railway managers have con-
trived to secure. A Liverpool correspondent
of the London Times gives further insight
into the new system OF Transporting. freight,
and the particulars are of interest 10 US here,
not only because the plateway may become
the best corrective of railway abuses yet pro-
posed, but because the transport of cotton
from Liverpool to the Lancashire mills is
the object of most immediate consideration,
and has mainly led to the new invention.
The plate road is intended wholly to
revoIutionize the inland transit of mer
chandise; the transportation OF passengers is
not contemplated, at present at least, and
freight will be carried at rate materially
below railroad charges. Startling as it may
appear, the cost of sending bale of cotton
from Liverpool to Manchester is greater
than under the former system, and the deliv
cry is no better. Formerly the journey wss
made at night, SO hat goods dispatched in
the evening were delivered next day. The
railway trains run quick, but there is crest
loss of time in handling at the receiving and
delivering termini, and the delay is accom-
panied by increase of expense. The plate
way will wipe out these terminal charges al
together, dispense with the intermediate
handling of goods, say from the ships side to
the cotton mill. At present bale of cotton
is lifted from the ships hold, placed on the
wharf, lifted up on wagon, then driven 10
the railway station. At the station it is I'M
loaded from the vehicle, put on the platform,
placed on the car, the car pushed
along the side-track, at length car
is attached to car and is ready for the
locomotive to head it and start for
the destination. Arrived there The cotton
has 10 be taken from the car, loaded up into
the delivering wagon, and finally drawn by
horse to the mill. All these operations in
volve the construction of large receptive
platforms and storehouses and extensive rail-
way stations. When the mill has turned
the cotton into cloth, all the movements have
to be gone over again in getting the packages
from the mill 10 the ships hold. The delays,
expenses and vexations attending railroad
carrisge have brought about deep seated,
universal and strong feeling of discomfort
among the Liverpool and Manchester ship
pers, so as to lead 10 the entertainment OF
a project to cut ship canal between the
two towns, which the plateway, howev' r,
will render unnecessary. The shippers de- /
sire a reduction on the charges now levied /
upon the raw material and manufactured
goods, for lose charges are oppressive ard
Injurious to trade. The plateway is free Of |
the complicated and expensive handiings of
the railway. AT the ships side or the ware
house door the goods for shipment are loaded
upon a wagon, drawn by horse TO the plate
way station to its position upon the track; |
there it is attached TO a train of similar
wagons, the locomotive is placed at the head
and the whole is hauled along the smooth
plsteway to the appointed destination, There
the engine is disconnected, horses are put TO |
each wagon, which is at once driven to the
mill or warehouse. There is no lifting of
bales up and down and imand out; the load
Jog that was done at the place of reception
Is unloaded at the place OF delivery. All is
simple, easy, speedy and inexpe nsive. In
fact, the system solves the handling problem
Pathways can be laid to outlying towns or
scattered mills, and the goods drawn along
the smooth track by horses where locomo-
tive is unnecessary. The wagons are such as
are ordinarily used, except that The front
aud rear axles will be of the same /
width, that of the gauge of the plateway. |
That way, as we have previously explained,
consists of two parallel 70 VS. of iron plates l
of about eight inches broad, with raised
1ange on the outer end which keeps the /
wagons on the track. Instead of straight
rail and a Hanged wheel-tire there is /
straight wheel-tire and a Hanged plate, in
which the wheels run smoothly and freely. |
The track will be graded in the usual way,
but there will be less need for strictly con-
structed levels and heavy engineering work;
the trains will be lighter and run less rapidly /
than on the railroads, and the expense of |
will be much less, while the
for handling will be no more than
loading wagon 10 take full load to the
next street. The expense of extensive sta
tions, signaling on the way, and in almost
every department, will be lightened by The
simplicity of the whole method. The rail-
roads view the project with anything but
friendly eyes. and all they can do to thwart
a rival perceived to be threateniugly formid-
able will be done, but the immense advsnt-
ages and great saving of expense attending
the plateway are bound to give it victory
and success.