The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-24
A DIRT-cHRAP RAILWAY.
Built and Equipped for $4,000 Mi

Built and Equipped for $4,000 Mile
and Earning 40 Per Cent. a Year.
''The cheapest railroad in the word" is
described by Arthur Pew, the civil engi-
neer. This railroad is in Georgia, aud bears
the title Of the Dublin and Wrightsville,
running over the nineteen miles route be-
tween those two towns. In letter to the
Engineering NeIUS Mr.. Pew gives interest,"
ing details of the record-breaking enter
prise.
In the fail of 1884 the company was or
gained and S22 800 of stock subscribed
Isl, 100 per mile, of which it was expected TO
collect Shree-Quarters in installments of 10
per cent. per month, with enough new sub
scriptions to make up the deficiency. With
this small sum it was hoped and not with
out reason, for it was done, to make the
roadbed ready for the rails, and TO obtain
the rails and rolling stock from the Central
railroad of Georgia.
The route was timbered and moderately
rough, passing a navigable river and con-
| Siderable ''ereek" (which was also pretty
good sized river, both OF these streams
lying about 100 feet below the general level
OF the country. The grading averaged
| about 1000 cubic yards per mile, aud forty
| convicts, hired at 81 per day, did this work
at cents per cubic yard and hewed ties
at to 10 cents each from the timber
on the right Of way, which latter was for
the most part giHeh. On Dec. l, 1885. III
miles had been completed, and were in
operation, at q total cost of 81 ,0O5 per mile
for clearing, clubbing, grading, trestles,
| crosstles and ditching, or 81, 164 40 per
mile, including also engineering and right
OF way, for which latter 500 in all hal
then been SPENT sos-
To complete tte superstructure an ar
rangement was made with the Central rail-
road of Georgia Ito which the new line will
be a FEEDER, under which that company
agreed to furnish good secondhand rails
| 40 to 40 pounds), and sufficient second hand
frogs, switches, joints and spikes, and 10 lay
and surface the track, all for the sum OF
$1,000 in preferred 6 per cent. stock, &C
| companied by further obligation
that the line should be finished withou
mourning a bonded debt. This was consid-
cred to be somewhat under the market
value of the material and service, amount
ing TO less than SIS Der tom of rails fur
nished, or some 81 ,S42 per pile Of main
pluck of the protector had something to dc
with the terms offered by the Central OF
| Georgia
When the wholess19 miles were finished,
the total cost, apart from track, was 81, 500
per mile, to which add 81, S42 for track, as
above, and we have $3,441 per mile 1865, $3.50
In alb as the total cost of the road ready for
rolling stock. 1t was estimated that 81, 600
per mile more would have given it all the
rolling stock needed for its thin traffic, but
nv was made unnecessary by
was merely an extension of little 16-mile
existing road, the Wrightsvile & Tennille
with which it has since been consolidated.
| This latter road has been built in somewhat
the same way, but with less care and good
fortune. and has so cost more money. The
total of stock and bonds of the consolidated
company was as follows:
| Total Per Mile
Capital stock. t.. .,...... :. $119,622 So, 1898
Bonded debt. ...... $4,000 1913
Total stock and debt .. S154,622 81, $50
| This road, be it remembered, is Of stand
ard gague a #. 81 in.).
1t will be seen from this: ~ That the
road was built for cash and not for bonds
| ~ that there were no profits for middle
men; 81 that an exceptionally good bar
| gam was made for the track; ~ that ex-
treme economy was used 10 all the details
CT construction, to which it is but fair tc
| add ~ that the engineering work was well
and carefully DONE In some of these re-
spects it differs markedly from average
American practice; but in the broader
| features of cutting ones coat according tx
ones cloth, and managing to do with little
| when only little can be had. is a type Of
the methods by which large majority Of
American railways have been carried
through 70 completion.
What has been the result? Simply this
that the read was not only the cheapest il
the world in first cost. but is also one of the
most profitable, aud that out of these profits
a sum considerably exceeding the total III
vestment has been expended in improving
the property within the four and hall
years since the road was opened.