The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-14
March of the Steam Man!

According t. the census railway re,
turns tor In~I. there we're 100 compa-
ase~. having. 10 round numbers, $1,000
miles ~ railways IN operation in this
csGutry-an aggregate almost equal TO a
track extending four times round the
world.
Inc cost Of this gigantic system was
nearly five thousand six huaircd and
Xty millions Of dollars, Of which about
two htih, h4- been paid for and tie com
paulc- are ia debt for the balance. In
tile coed ii rc coming, when this enor-
nous debt Of over three thousand mil
lions Of collars Is paid of, and the inter
est thereon ceases, il Is probable that
railway speeds win be improved, travel
lug rendered safer, and the charge for
freight and passage reduced.
! he mortality upon our railways is
trightiul to contemplate. According to
the census returns, the killed and maim-
Ell for the single wear of 1880 formed an
aggregate Of .2l5 persons. If the
companies were compelled by law to pay
an average Of say five thousand dollars
for every person killed or injured, only a
short time would eiapse, probably, be-
fore this dreadful accouu would be re
duced To aimos nothing. There are very
few railway accidents that might NOT be
prevented il real care were exercised,
and the best safeguards adopted. The
passage CT a law Subjecting every com
pany to the payment of a substantial
fine for everykccldent that takes place
upon It's property would doubtless slim
ulate the managers to give more atten-
ton to the safety of life and limb than
they do at present
The freight carried in 1880 was two
hundred and nirety-one millions oftons,
Tor which the railways charged $I.29 per
ton per mile, and made profit of SO
cents per ton per mile.
The number Of passengers carried was
two hundred and seventy millions, for
which they each paid an average of 2:33
per mile, and the companies made a
profit Of o g. cents per mile. If the
passengers are counted by weight, allow
lug IA passengers to the ton, then the
receipts OF the companies for their two
legged freight was S32 81 per ton per
mile and their profit was SIS. IS per ton
per mile This large profit, when set OPP
posite to the small amount of So cents
profit per ton realized from dead freight,
seems To indicate that a great field is
open to the genius Of railway managers
IN devising ways and means to encour-
age the people to travel.
The haulage of our railways now en-
ploys over seventeen thousand locomo-
tiveS, aud the aggregate cost to u them,
such as fuel, water, oil, repairs and en-
gineers, Is about ninety millions of dol
lars, or not far from FIVE thousand dol
lars a year fer each machine. The item
Of fuel alone is thirty three millions Of
dollars. The larger portion of the fuel
is wasted; muS of it is blown out Of
the smoke stack unconsumed in the form
of smoke and dust. There is 2 grand
chance for inventors to improve the -
connective by discovering means to lessen
It's wastes aud expenses The same re-
marks apply to tic other branches of the
railway ears and about four hundred
thousand freight cars. In the year 1880
IL cost the railway companies ffty-fve
millions of dollars for repairs for roll
ing stock. Is it not possible for inventive
genius 10 study out some new mode OF
construction that shall reduce this enor
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