FARMERS' REGISTER— UNDULATING RAILWAY. 



175 



rectness of these views. An extensive and fertile 

 country at -one extremity, an excellent seaport at 

 the other, a rapid transit between them, render 

 success certain and promise a fair return for the 

 undertaking. 



Nothing but the existence of numerous other 

 improvements can have prevented the overflowing 

 of the books of subscription, but of these, the navi- 

 gation of the Sound and Dismal Swamp Canal is 

 the only one from which it might not be unreasona- 

 ble to apprehend a competition ; and yet, if the pe- 

 culiar circumstances which now influence the com- 

 merce of Norfolk, be considered, it would not be 

 difficult, I think, to show that the navigation and 

 this work do not conflict with each other, but will 

 rather unite hand in hand in promoting the weliarc 

 and rise of the two sister towns. 



It would, therefore, be irrelevant to trouble you 

 with an inquiry into the trite and sometimes ab- 

 surd, if not unfair, comparisons which prejudice 

 lias frequently drawn between navigation and 

 transportation by rail roads; each has its ad- 

 vantages, which, in this case, will be made to con- 

 tribute to the support of the same cause and in- 

 terest. 



The celerity of speculation and travelling Will 

 recommend the rail road, while the proximity of 

 navigation, and sometimes its economy, will favor 

 the Sound. This double facility will prevent di- 

 vergency, and, by drawing the trade into the same 

 channel, will impart to it a greater activity, and 

 thus, production, business and capital will increase 

 and be concentrated upon the same point ; without 

 the rail road, this result is more than doubtful; it 

 should consequently be viewed, I think, as an in- 

 dispensable accessary to the navigation. 



It would be difficult, at present, to reduce these 

 speculations to numbers ; but this much can be 

 said, that if the rail road is to cost .^ 450,000, 

 (which I do not think far from the truth,) a fair 

 return would require it to pro-luce itj;36,000 annual- 

 ly, to coverall expenses, exclusive of those attend- 

 ing transportation. This amount is certainly in- 

 commensurate with the importance and influence 

 of situation of such a seaport, to which this would 

 be one of the main avenues, to say nothing of the 

 amount at which the increase of business might be 

 valued. 



As regards the cost of the road, it is obvious 

 that in a neighborhood, where such works have 

 never been made, some uncertainty must exist con- 

 cerning the elTect of a new undertaking upon the 

 price of labor in the ordinary state of things. Con- 

 sequently present prices alone would not be a safe 

 criterion, and the following estimate has been pre- 

 dicated upon the existing prices, modified by those 

 of the nearest work of the kind, the Petersburg 

 Rail Road. The estimate has besides, been made 

 for the uniform plan above described ; and as the 

 modifications that may be introduced by the use of 

 the timber found on the spot, will be a saving to 

 the Company, the estimated cost below may be 

 considered a maximum. 



StrPERSTRUCTrRE PER MILE. 



2,640 Pieces of Scantling a 12 cents, $316 80 



2,640 Blocks, - 8 do. 211 20 



2,640 Wedges, - 4 do. 105 60 



Splicing Plates, - 50 00 



Iron Spikes, 

 660 Ties 



String Pieces, 6 by 8 inches, 

 Stakes, 

 Iron, 22 tons, 

 Laying and Dressing, 

 Turn Out, - 



Total per mile, 



And for 16 miles 5,106 ket, $63,786 00 

 In .some places, the cost of the superstructure is 

 enhanced by the necessary adoption of a more ex- 

 pensive plan than the above. For the sake of bre-' 

 vity and uniformity, the difference has been intro- 

 duced at each particular place, in the estimate of 

 formation of the road which follows: 



GRADUATIOJV AND FORMATIOJSr. 



D'cstances. 

 I.St, Stage from Chestnut St. 2 miles 140 feet 



2d 

 3d 



4lh 

 5th 

 6th 

 7th 



8th 

 9 th 

 lOlh 



Cost. 



2,514 



691 



2,806 



672 



]j090 



2,881 



878 



2,220 



3,663 



Total amount, 1 6ms. 5,220 ft. S18,507 



Deduct for error in middle line, ] 14* abt. +23 



Leavinj 



16ms. 5,105 and $18,544 



To which adding for superstructure, 

 And for contingencies, superintendence, &c. 

 on botli, 10 per cent. 



$63,786 

 8,233 



Tlie wliole estimate will amount to $90,563 



W'liich is per mile, $5,337 and a fractinn. 



In this estimate no mention is made of clearing' 

 and grubbing, because the timber obtained, pro- 

 bably, will be a full compensation for them by its 

 ready use in a work of this sort. 



I regret that it will not be in my power to wit- 

 ness the progress of this important work. I shall, 

 however, direct frequently my inquiries towards 

 it, with a solicitude I have felt from the beginning, 

 but which has received additional intensity from 

 the confidence and kindness which I have been fa- 

 vored with by the company, and for which, I beg 

 you, gentlemen, to receive collectively and indi- 

 vidually, my most grateful acknowledgements. 

 I have the honor to be, respectfully. 

 Your most obedient servant, 



c. CRozET, Engineer. 



Undiilatins^ Railway. 



From the Athenaium. 

 This contrivance, which we have already curso- 

 rOy noticed, has occasioned some discussion among 

 scientific and practical men ; but it does not appear 

 that any explanation of its efTects has been sug- 

 gested. Indeed, we are inclined to think, that the 

 patentees themselves arc not fully aware of the 

 physical principle on which the advantage which 

 they \\kve undoubtedly gained, depends. 



*Tliese amounis are introduced here merely to pre- 

 vent embarrassing discrepancies in the calculation: they 

 v/ould otherwise be too small to be noticed. 



