NEW 



cjIiAn: 



MER 



Published by John B. Rcsseli,, at JVo. 52 JVorth Market Street, (at the Agricultural Warehouse). — Thomas G. Tessenden, Editor. 



VOL. YII. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1829. 



No. 30. 



INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT. 



RAILWAYS.— No. III. 



(Bylh«E(iilor.) 

 (Continued from page 210.J 

 In our Conner observations under this head we 

 have attempted to show the importance to a civil- 

 ized community of establishing the best ways and 

 means of transporting commodilies, and facilitat- 

 iflg tloniestio as well as foreign intercourse. We 

 tlien gave a concise view of the advantages of 

 railways, as exemplified by the practice of Great 

 Britain. We shall pursue the subject with more 

 regard to stating facts and arguments, than to that 

 methodical arrangement, which might be required 

 in a complete treatise. 



" Next to the genial influence of the seasons, 

 upon which the regidar supply of our wants, and 

 a great portion of our couiforts so much depend, 

 there is perhaps no circumstance more interesting 

 to men in a civilized state than the perfection of 

 the means of interior communication." This sen- 

 timent, quoted from one of the reports of a Com- 

 mittee of the House of Commons, in Great Britain, 

 ought to be ^ governing maxim with legislators, 

 statesmen, and all others, who possess any control 

 or influence in public affairs. Roads, canals, and 

 navigable rivers are of almost as nnich conse- 

 quence to the body politic as veins and arteries to 

 the body natural. 



The most conniion and most expeditious means 



of interior communication is found in roaiK. 



These are of various kinds, such as foot paths, 

 horse roads, and carriage roads, of which some 

 consist wholly of the natural soil, some are paved, 

 some are what is called MJldaiiiized, and others 

 are denominated railroads, or railways. This last 

 named species of road, is we believe, generally al- 

 lowed by competent judges, to be far preferable to 

 any other for quick, safe, and easy transportation. 



Turnpike roads are so well known, and their 

 benefits, in certain locations, are so highly appre- 

 ciated, that notliing in their favor need to be ursed 

 by us. But a turnpike running from nothing to 

 nought; or laid out through tracts of courury 

 where good roads previously existed or might 

 easily be made to exist ; or, in short, a road, where 

 toll must be gathered to defray the expense of its 

 construction, although such road is not im- 

 peratively called for by the wants of the country, 

 is at best a broad way, leading its owners to des- 

 truction. So it would be with a railway imder 

 similar circimistances. But we believe, in most 

 cases, where a turnpike would prove usefid a well 

 constructed railway would be stiji more valuable. 

 If n turnpike from Boston to Albany, for example, 

 Would be beneficial to the public, and profitable to 

 its owners, a railway between the same places 

 would present superior fa'cilities for travelling and 

 be preferable to the turnpike. To make this ap- 

 pear we will state some items in comparative es- 

 timate of the expenses and advantages of a rail- 

 way and a turnpike, or other good road of the 

 connnon construction. 



The ingenious Dr Anderson [a British writer] with 

 a view to discover how far it may be practicable to in- 

 troduce iron rail ways into genaral use.has made some 

 inquiries respecting the expense of making them. 



He says "In the most eligible situation, where 

 materials are abundant and good, and circum- 

 stances favorable, the lowest expense at which a 

 single railway can be made will be about one 

 thousand |)Ounds a mile. But as a single radway 

 iiiust be liable to great inconveniences, unless un- 

 der very j)articular circmnstances, double railways : repairs any approximation to the sum necessary 



expended on roa<ls will exhibit the relative ex- 

 penseof both to the public." 



It should seem from the preceding data that 

 the prime cost of a railway, and a- turnpike road, 

 both being coaistructed in a substantial matmer is 

 nuii-h the same." But railways do not require for 



ought to be considered as the only useful sort. — 

 These shoidd be very substantially made. The 

 metal used should be of the stoutest sort, and of 

 sid)stance enough not merely to cany the weights 

 proposed, but to be equal to bearing any blow or 

 lock that they may be likely to experience ; and. 



to keep a turnpike in good order. We will next 

 inquire what arc the ailvaiitages for transport 

 which each (ircseuts. It is observed by tlie Di- 

 rectors in the Report on a Rail Road from Boston 

 to Hudson river, that a rail road " is a simple 

 structure, and its advantages are so manifest that 



thus made, what they will lose by rust or wear, jit is remarkable tliat it has not been sooner iiitro- 

 will belong ere it materially weakens them. — j duced into extensive use. The advantage which 

 ]\Iade after such a manner, in favorable situations | it possesses for giving an easy motion to heavily 

 in the country, a double railway may cost about j loaded carriages arise from the even and unyield- 

 two thousand pounds a mile. It is bad economy i ing surface of the iron rail, on which the wheels 

 to save on articles of this sort at the first ; for the of the carriages travel. By thi? means, if the rails 

 little extra expense laid out then will save much are level every obstacle to the motion of the load 

 in repair ; how small these repairs are viay be im- j is removed, e.\cept the friction at the axles of the 

 agined from this circumstance, that ivhen a road fj; carriages, and a slight friction at the flanges, 

 thus made the undertaker does not scruple to supply which are attached to the tires of the wheels for 

 all that are broken, free of charge, for the first three the purpose of keeping thcni upon the rails. The 

 years. Say then that such a road costs three amount of this friction both at the axles and the 

 thousand pounds, a ttiile, this would bring a charge flanges, on a good rail road, and with carriages of 

 upon the tiirn|)ike [at 5 per cent interest] of 150/. a proper and convenient construction, has been 

 a year; say 50/. more for annual repairs; tliis is, ' ascertained b}' accurate observation on rail roads 

 iu all "200/. per annum. Compare this with the which have been long in constant use. The pre- 

 oxpense of keeping the present roads in repair. — cise degree of resistance from this cause depends 

 It has been suggested that there is annually laid upon the degree of evenness and solidity of the 

 out in repairs upon the road from Hyde Park Cor- i rail, and the form and size of the axles and 

 uer to Hounslow, considerably above one thousand wheels ; but v^ith carriages in common use, of a 

 pounds a mile; so that difference of expense is, i cheap and convenient construction, with wheels 

 even at the beginning, very much in favor of rail of tlirce feet in diameter, and on the common 



English iron rails properly laid, the power neces- 

 sary to keep a load in motion, when the road is 

 level, is found not to exceed 11 lbs. to a ton ; that 

 is no greater exertion is required to move a load 

 weighing 2224 lbs. than to raise a weight of 11 lbs. 

 suspended by a cord passing over a pulley. The 

 friction is in proportion to the weight of the load, 



apid or 



ways ; and were the money thus at first expended 

 to be gradually paid off, the tolls might thus be 

 lowered almost to nothing." 



We have been favored, by a friend, with a 

 pamphlet, imblished in Philadelphia, entitled 

 " Facts and Arguments in favor of ado|)ting Rail- 

 ways instead of Canals," &c. This is ably written ; [ 



the author's facts appear to be indisputable, and and is the same, whether the motion is 

 his arguments incontrovertible. He says that, I slow. 

 "The expense of constructing a turnpike in a j " Horses employed in drawing heavy loads are 

 proper manner is almost equal to that usually ex- ' often made to exert a power for short distances 

 pended per mile on a canal. The best turnpikes equal to raising a weight of 3 or 400 lbs. But 

 in America have cost from 9 to 12,000 dollars per the measure of steady performance through the 

 mile. The average cost of the Lancaster and day for a horse moving at a slow and natural 

 Philadelphia turnpike was 9,000 dollars per mile, pace, and travelling 20 miles a day, may be taken 

 the Germantnwn turnpike cost 11,000 dollars per at about 125 lbs. This exertion is equivalent to 

 mile. Part of the national or Cumberland road drawing a load of 11 or 12 tons, the weight of 

 cost 17,000 dollars per mile ; these roads il" JifM- carriages included, on a good level rail road," &c. 

 amized would cost more in the first instance, but They then state that " It is found by the surveys 

 the expense for repairs would be considerably di- : which have been made, that the heights between 

 minished. '^he repairs depend in a great meas- j Boston and the Hudson river may be passed by 

 ure on the use to which the road is devoted, and j an inclination not exceeding in any part the rate 

 the frequency of the same. On some roads in the of eighty feet in a mile, and without prolonging 

 United States, the expense is equal to interest on the distance more than an eighth or tenth part be- 

 the principal of the sum expended in their con- yond that of the most direct road. A rail road 

 struction. Near London, in consequence of the jlaid with as uniform an inclination as is practica- 



frequency of travelling, 1,000 pounds sterluig per 

 mile is annually required to preserve the great 

 roads leading to the metropolis in repair. The re- 

 pairs of a canal, when correctly constructed are less 

 expensive than those required on a road frequent- 

 ly vsed; the difference in the expense of these re- 

 pairs, which of course should be added to those 



ble, on the line of this survey, will require on the 

 stcejiest (larts of it double the power wliich would 

 be necessary if the road were level from one ex- 

 tremity to the other. The other expenses of con- 

 veyance would be no greater on the rail road with 

 tliis degree of inclination than if the wJiole was 

 level." It appears, in short, to be the opinion of 



