Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-01-14
CHANGE THE GAUGE.

CHANGE THE GAUGE.
The question of converting the narrow
gauge into q broad gauge railroad II
being very much discussed by our peo-
pie. "'Tis a contamination devoutly
to DO wish'd," and We desire to presen'
. few reasons why it is 30.
As matters are now arranged there
are two railroads from Kansas City t.
Sedalia, via of Lexington. We say
two, but in most respects We might be
justified in saying that there arc two
apologies for railroads. for both fal
short of giving the accommodation
which the age requires; and indeed, are
30 very far short of the mark ~ to b
considered BY travellers
Necessary nuisancss, probably. ~ they
must use thsm, but still nuisances.
Take tho Branch" from here to So
dalla Tor instance. It has what 10 called
. passenger train, which leavss here II
the evening and returns in tho morning
The distance u IS miles. The time
consumed in travelling 1t Ii tour hours
aud thirty minutes. The oars in the
train are old rattletraps that have been
discarded on the main limo. The officers
are as polite and attentive ~ they can
be, but how . any efforts on their
part compensate the impatient passen.
ger for the long, weary ride which he is
forced to takee If this is bad what can
be said of the morning train. which 10 =
mixed tram, decidedly mixed). which
hauls coal, cattle and pigs, ~ we'll -
passengers, and takes five hours to run
IS milesp
Then a. to the Narrow Gauge. It il
So 1-2 miles long to Independence, where
passengers must leave 1t and take the
main limo cars to Kansas City. The
trouble and Inconvenience OF this trans
fer drives = very large part OF the travel
to the Wabash, though 1t must in taking
that route twice cross the Missouri river.
All this il annoying and vsxatious,
aud losss to the Missouri Pacific rail-
road hundreds of passengers per month.
who live tributary to Its line, but who
seek either the Chicago & Alton or the
Wabash, whore they can purchase suit
able accommodations 1t less rates than
are charged Oh these inferior roads.
Nor is this for \ short or lnsignlficant
distance. The Missouri Pacific railroad
i, 284 miles long from st. Louis to Kan
sas City. from the east to the west
boundary OF the state. and the distance
from Ssdalis to Kansas City is about 96
miles by either route, there being but
little difference in them. Ninety.six is
a very handsome proportion Of the num-
bsr OF miles across the state, and in no
section of it Is there = people better
worth %cultivating as passenger custom.
srs than IN the stretch alluded to.
Let US consider the freight question
for a moment. On the '.Branch" freight
Gun be very we'll handled, but how 10 1t
on the other roadi Who wants to
place cattle, hogs or sheep IN . narrow
gauge a TO ship them to St. Louis or
Chicago, with the inevitable transfer at
Independence No Que. There are
three shippers in the western end of this
county who are driven to the Chicago
4 Alton, though they live On the Mar
row Gauge. with enough shipments, if
continued from year to year, to justify
the change to broad gauge. Dozens OF
lesser shippers follow them. 1t is very
clear that freights by the Marrow
Gauge, each way, have, from the mani
fold Inconvenience. 90 fallen away that
the road will very soon DO nothing nor
than q coal road, and q miserable one
at that. operated at the greatest expense
and trouble that could we'll DO ~concsiv-
cd in railroading.
By changing the gauge . very large
local passenger and freight business
which is now lost would naturally flow
back to the Missouri Pacific. from the
rich and populous counties of Jackson
and Lafayette. It would be an infinite
ly better coal road, too, rs it would no
longer be necessary to transfer coal BY
hand to broad gauge r. as IL now
done in tho primitive style Of forty years
ago a: Independence. Beside, with .
continuous broad gauge track from
Kansas City to Ssdalls. the main line
which is crowded - no other road in
Missouri is, could be relieved. In doing
which fast and good passenger and
freight trains could be run over the new
road. Where two sets OF hands are now
required one would answer, and ether
economies would ensue from the closer
consolidation of the two roads.
Tho expense OF broadening the road
! would not be formidable; the engineer.
ing difficulties nil-mersly at Indepsnd-
ence q reduction of grade. To connect
the two ends at this place is . matter oil
no sort Of difficulty, being attainable by
a gentle grade, easily and inexpensive.
ly made, and which would not necsssa
rily be greater than some OF the present
grades on the main line. There 10 only
one expense which might be made onsr-
Gus, and that IL for rights OF way be.
tween the two roads. The connection
would be 50 maniiestly to the interest OIL
the city and the property wner them.
selves. that We cannot believe 80 shorl
sighted a policy would prevail. 1
would, in our opinion, DO very much bet
ter for those owning the properly tc
give the right Of way than to lose tn,
road, though reasonable compensation
would, doubtless, be paid without din
Guilty.
Kansas City and Ssdalis are both .
much interested to have this chang,
made as ID Lexington. A. it is, zach 1
poorly served by . bob-tailsd railroad
whose back is broken in the middle
and whose gaits remind us Of the wa
horses, that, when forage was scarce, tn
boys used to prop up with old rails
every time the column halted tor . resi-
Those parts of Pettls, Saline, Laisy