The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-13
An ANNUAL REPORT or 1927.
Superiority of Steam Over Turnpike
Roads Is Admitted.

Roads Is Admitted.
1.-The Annual Report of the Board of
Managers of the Delaware and Hud-
son Canal Company TO the Stockhold-
ers for the Year 1927 dated March 4
1928, contains the following interest
ing paragraphs Xorded in the stately
style of the period.
"A railroad being necessary to con-
meet the coal mines with the canal
wherever the latter might terminate
Judge Wright, our then chief engi-
neer was requested in the summer of
1926, to examine the subject in ref
erence to the pecularities of the coun-
try over which it must pass; since
which it has more or less occupied
the attention of the board and their
engineers. In the course of the last
summer a committee of the board de-
cided on the place Of terminating the
canal, and the present chief engineer,
J. B. Jervis. was then requested to pre-
pare and report a plan of the whole
work The report was accordingly
made late in October last, and reflects
great credit on it's author. by the evil
dence it affords of patient research
and investigafion-of scientific knowl-
edge and talent in adapting the work
to the form Of the country, and other
local circumstances of the line
THE construction and use of rail-
roads was new in our country Only
one, of a few miles length, had been
tested by. a winters cold and another
was a temporary and imperfect work.
Differences of opinion existed among
the engineers in England in various
particulars, but all agree to their great
superiority over turnpike roads. and
in their near approach to canals in re-
spect to cheapness and facility of
transportation. Under these circum-
stances. it was deemed advisable to
submit the chief engineers plan to the
examination Of Judge Wright and
Prof. Renwick. not from any distrust
of the capacity or skill of the chief
engineer, but from an adherence to
that system of caution which has
hitherto been observed in all the
measures of the board OF managers.
With the sanction of such high au-
thority, your board of managers pro-
ceeded in executing the work, under a
firm conviction that the railroad and
its appendages will serve as models
country. and will realize to the COM
pany all the advantages expected from
It, The expense of the railroad with
iron plates. together with stationary
engines, chains. friction rollers and
new and ingenious application by
the chief engineer of a known power
to the descending planes (Which may
we'll deserve the name of an inven-
tion), and allowing 10 per cent. for
contingencies, is estimated at $17S.-
| EE6- Inc expense OF transportation
upon it from the coal mines to the
canal is estimated at 2915 cents per
ton. or nearly is cents per ton per
mile, being three-tenths of cent more
than the estimated cost of transpor-
tation on the canal.
1.-The railroad and its appendices
are calculated by the chief engineer
for transporting $40 tons per day. IN
one direction only; that is. so much
coal may be conveyed upon it each
day. and allowing 240 working days
in a year will give 1919. 500 tons per
1 annum. besides returning transporta-
ton from the head of the canal to
/ Carbonate.
1.-The structure of the railroad is Of
| timber 50 arranged as to insure dura-
bility, with rolled iron plates securely
fastened to the timber rails with
screws. The plates are estimated to
weigh SOP. 600 pounds. or nearly $50
I tons. Upon a comparison of the cost
of the iron plates in this country with
: their cost in Europe and expense OF
I delivery here. it was determined tc
/ import them; and Mr.. Allen, an engi-
4 neer we'll qualified for the service. was
II engaged. and has sailed for Liverpool
II to procure and superintend the manu-
Fl facture of the plates. to procure the
nation Of all the latest Improvement,
n works of the sar kind in England
Superior accuracy in forming the
plates a fact admitted by our oides
manufacturers. and Of great impor