The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-11-29
AN INTERSTATE RAILWAY.
The Cost of Building and the Cost Of
Doing Without One.

December 5, will discuss proposed plans
of building railroad line from Mime
sofa to the gulf, and among them will be
one by Eric Olson, an experienced rail-
road contractor, Of Sherburn, Minnesota.
In order to get it before the public, Mr..
Olson's plan was published in the
pamphlet containing the proceedings of
the Lincoln railroad convention Of June
%, 1893. Prefacing his article with
statistics showing the outrageous cost
to the people Of corporation ownership,
Mr.. Olson says:
To build line Of frst-class double
track railway from Duluth, Mimi, to
Galveston, Texas, 1900 miles and equip
it would cost about $4O,0O0,0OO. 1t could
be built for S3O,OOOOOO, as frontier roads
have been built and perfected by the
earrings in about ten years, the expense
Of betterment charged up to operating
expenses according to custom.
A single track, first class railroad can
be built for $3OOOO,OOO, and less, in pro-
portion with inferior materials and
heavy grades. Through Minnesota, the
first 12O miles from Duluth, would be
through pine forests largely; the next
eighty miles would be through country
originally mostly timber; the sOutherly
100 miles would be prairie, cut up with
lakes and rivers Of which the Minnesota
is the largest and lays 200 feet below the
level Of the prairie. A twenty feet high
embankment for one-half mile with one
fourth mile trestle and bridge will be
sufficient at one place Of crossing Mime
sofa river bottoms and side hills for six
or seven miles to climb up so as to make
grades of six-tenths Of a foot to 100 feet,
81 68 feet per mile. The ascent out OF
Duluth may be heavier for short dis
tRnces, it being necessary to raise nearly
600 feet in sixtee miles, 375 per mile.
The line from crossing the Mississippi
river to the southern boundary Of the
state of Minnesota on Dss Moines river
would traverse some Vt the most produo-
tive country in the state.
COST ESTIMATES.
100 miles OF grading could be done for
Is cents per cubic yard, 10000 cubic
yards to the mile would make easy
grades above the grass OF the pra1r-
les, and few excavations. ,......:.. 10000
80 miles OF grading, partly to be
40 miles of heavier grading, 10000 Gu.
bic yards per mile, at % cents. ...... 100000
so miles through forests and swamps,
$2,OOO per mile. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. lOO,UVV
Total clearing, grubbing and grad -.
Ing ngs.............,.s'.''.'.' OOVJVVV
Engineering and general expense. .... 10000
Right Of way and terminals. .......... 100000
Bridges and structures. ............... 6OOOOO
Ties, 3,7OO per mile, (plne 25 oak 50).... 100000
vice Observation-Disclosures. e Di. w 100000
Steel rails, IS pounds to the linesl
yard, llS tons to the mile, $50 per ton
main track 'O','. .'.'..t.....'.... t ' wv 1,Ol2SOO
rail 80 mounds 10 the ward ...'..,,, 27OOSO
Spllces, bolts spikes, switches, etc.. 2l7I20
Fauipment and tools ............. 100000
Miscellaneous work and EXPENSE. 100000
Total cost single track. ............ $5,200OOO
Per mile s17,393.33, including terminal
at division point and on ST. Louis river.
More central terminals wonld increase
the cost. In the other states it would
cost more on account Of longer haul OF
rails, ties and materials but the cost Of
grading might be less.