AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 591 



Give us the freight of cattle at 30 cents a head, and we will make a profit. 

 There is no measure to the economy of railroad traffic. In 1880 the Hud- 

 son River road will have paid all back dividends. 



China is the most prosperous agricultural country of the world, because 

 of its rivers and canals. Illinois has now no farm land more than fifteen 

 miles from railroad. Railroads determine the value of land. Before the 

 Rock Island road was built, an old farmer had two sections, of the nominal 

 value of $3 an acre, 240 miles from the town. When the road was built 

 it was worth $80 an acre. There is nothing like the progress of wealth 

 caused by railroads. Illinois and Georgia are making them. In Pough- 

 keepsie the receipts have steadily risen, and at a rapid rate. The strife 

 between the boats and cars foreshadows the total destruction of the boat 

 traffic, at least in passengers and perishable merchandize. The New York 

 Central has power now to carry more than the boats. It can run ninety 

 trains, and now runs only three. The sleepers, earthworks, masonry, 

 station-houses and bodies of the cars, do not wear out with the motion. 

 It is the rails, wheels, oil, fuel and attendance, that cost for extra traffic, 

 so that freights can be made lower and lower every year as traffic increases. 



Mr. Garvey read the following report : 

 committee's report on gold's steam heating apparatus. 



We, the undersigned, being a committee appointed by the Polytechnic 

 Association of the American Institute, to examine Gold's Steam Heating 

 Apparatus, respectfully report — 



That the points to which we have directed our attention were, 1st, the 

 effects of this mode of heating upon health; 2d. Its safety, or danger, as 

 effected by liability to explosion, or the communication of fire to wood 

 work ; 3d. Economy of first cost and subsequent repairs, as well as con- 

 sumption of fuel and cost of attendance ; 4th. Its bearing upon the finish 

 of a building, its architectural arrangements and furniture, &c. 



First. Then we find that the heat furnished by this apparatus is given 

 off by a large surface moderately heated, and not by a small surface 

 intensely heated, consequently the vapor and particles of organic matter, 

 &c., in the air, are not decomposed, the air is not burned and desiccated, 

 but is left in its natural state, fit for supporting life and maintaining 

 health. 



Second. We find that the steam in this apparatus is used at so low a 

 pressure, that there is no possibility of its exploding of itself, unless by 

 accident steam of much higher pressure should be generated than that at 

 which it is intended to operate, and we consider such an accident impossi- 

 ble with the arrangement of "hydraulic regulator " employed. 



Third. On the score of economy of first cost, we believe this to present 

 some admirable points. No other means is now employed for producing so 

 large an amount of radiating surface for the same cost. Its simplicity of 

 structure renders the call for repairs unlikely, as there is no excessive heat 

 to burn out the parts, or to prevent their being protected from rusting by 

 suitable paint. The fire also being entirely surrounded by water, and the 



