ECONOMICAL TRANSPORTATION. 217 



wood, which are united by transversal portions, the 

 object of which is to keep the gauge constant. On 

 these trav<5es a flat iron forms the track in immediate 

 contact with the wheels of the porteur. These so- 

 called trav^es can be united end to end, thus permitting 

 the passage over any soil without special preparation, 

 such as ballasting and general earthworks. Curves 

 are also made in the same manner. The train of por-r 

 teurs is composed of a series of small cars having 

 each a capacity of 50 kilog. (110 lbs.) to 100 kilog. 

 (220 lbs.) ; the first of these has four wheels and the 

 others only two; the weight thus supported by the 

 track is distributed over a great length. The number 

 of these cars varies with the general condition of the 

 soil over which they pass, but on a perfect horizontal 

 10,000 kilog. (22,000 lbs.) can be drawn by a horse. 

 It is estimated that a man can push 1000 kilog. (2200 

 lbs.) to 1500 kilog. (3,300 lbs.). For many years this 

 system has been employed at Lizy, on the river Ourcq, 

 and also at several other sugar factories in France and 

 Belgium. Corbin estimated that this plan was four 

 times as cheap as the ordinary method of transporta- 

 tion, that is to say, cost about $0.05 per kilometric ton ; 

 this evidently is an exaggeration. 



The facility with which the ti-ack can be placed at a 

 given spot, and then removed and the moderate capital 

 required gives this method many advantages over the 

 old system; but, on the other hand, the travees are 

 composed of wood, these being exposed to the variations 



15 



