90 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



riage does not " mind her rudder " so quick on the wider 

 axle ; but the horse turns first, whilst the carriage lags. The 

 shock to the axle and wheel is greater, and driving not so 

 sure and safe. 



Fifth, with two widths of track in use, these shocks we 

 have just spoken of are vastly increased in numbers, even 

 to the narrow axle. Light carriages suffer a greater strain 

 while being forced from one rut to another, and b}'' " cramp- 

 ing " and being crowded against the deeply-rutted ground, 

 especially in wdnter. 



Sixth, next let me call your attention to the advantage 

 arising from uniformity. The narrow track, four feet eight 

 inches, is the track we must practically conform to, as it is 

 nearer the universal, uniform, and standard track than any 

 other. I mean, that for the sake of uniformity alone, even if 

 we may have our individual preferences for a wider track, 

 the balance of advantage is in favor of conformity. To 

 carriage-builders the advantage is, that they could build and 

 sell for any section of the country. One carriage-maker 

 writes me that the wholesale trade in carriages is increasing 

 so rapidly, that they are shipped to all sections, and a stand- 

 ard track has become almost a necessity. Consider how large 

 this interest has become. By our State census of 1875, the 

 number of wagon and carriage manufacturers, not including 

 wheelwrights, was 356 in Massachusetts, with an investment 

 of $2,412,705 and a product of $4,343,458. They used a 

 steam-power exceeding 1,000 horse-power, 3,072 hands, and 

 paid out about $3,333,333J for wages. By the United-States 

 census of 1870, the number of carriage-establishments in the 

 Union was 11,849, with a capital employed of $36,563,095, 

 paying out over $21,000,000 in wages, using $25,000,000 of 

 material, and producing $65,362,837 of products. This cen- 

 sus included wheelwrights. The census of 1880 gives 3,052 

 carriage-builders proper, employing a capital of $32,683,123, 

 worked by 47,000 hands, paid nearly $7,000,000 in wages, 

 using nearly $29,000,000 of materials, and turning out over 

 $56,000,000 of products, whilst the additional product of 

 manufacturers of carriage and wagon materials was over 

 $8,403,441. Massachusetts alone, in 1880, manufactured 

 carriages of the value of $4,302,321. The figures repre- 

 sent an increased product in quantity, but a fall in wages 



