Indiana Palladium, Volume 1, Number 19, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 13 May 1825 — Page 1

f

Equality of rights is natures plax And following natirl is the march of miN. Barton. Volume I. LAWREiNCEBURGH, INDIANA; FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1325. Number 19.

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED EI. GRESG & S. V. C3JLLEY, O.V EVERY FRIDAY.

From the Scotsman.

Railways are a much more recent invention than canals: and for particular purpo

ses, such as the conveyance of coal, stone, or

other heavy commodities down a short in

clincd plane, sloping at an angle cf three or

four degrees, they are decidedly superior. As a means of general communication, they are cheaper in the first outlay than canals, more commodious in some respects, and adanted to a greater variety of situations but

to long as horse power was the only power

employed, it may be doubted whether the

balance of advantage was not in favour of

canals. We are quite satisfied, however,

that,the introduction of the locomotive steam power has given a decided superiority to railways. Indeed we are convinced, and we

hope, by and by, to convey some share of

the conviction to tne minds of our readers, that the general use of railways and steam carnages, for all kinds of internal communication, opens up prospects of almost boundless improvement, and is destined, perhaps, to work a greater change on the state of ci

vil society, than even the grand discovery of

navigation. Iron railways are of two descriptions. The flat rail or tram road consists of cast iron plates about three feet long, 4 inches broad, and half an inch or an inch thick, with a fanch or turned up edge on the inside to -guide the wheels of the carriage. These

places rest at each end on stone sleepers df

three or tour hundred weight, sunk into the earth, and they are joined to each other so as o form a continuous horizontal pathway. They are of course double, and the distance between the opposite rails is 3 to 4 1-2 feet, according to the breadth of the car or wagon to be employed. The edge rail, which is found to be superior to the tram rail, is made either of wrought or cast iron. If the latter is used, the rails are about 3 feet long, 3 or 4 inches broad, and from 1 to 2 incite thick, and they are joined at their ends by cast metal sockets attached to the sleepers. The upper edge of the rail is generally made

with a convex surface to which the wheel of

of the car is adapted by a groove made somewhat wider. When wrought iron (which is found to be almost equally cheap with the cast metal, and greatly preferable in many respects;) the bars are made of a smaller size, of a wedge shape, and 1 2 or 1 8 feet long, but they are supported by sleepers at the distance of every three feet. The wagons generally used run upon four wheels of from two to three feet diameter, and carry from 20 to 50 cwt. Four or five of these are

drawn by one horse. On the dead level railway, constructed by Mr. John Grieven for

Sir John Hope, near Mu?selburg, which is one of the most perfect in Britain, a single horse-draws five loaded wagons, each con

taining 30 cwt. of coals, at the rate of four

miles an hour in all 7 1-2 tons, exclusive of

the wagons, which weigh 3 tons more. Reducing the velocity to two miles an hour, by Professor Leslie's rule, the horse should drag 12 tons, or 15 tons including the wagons. Jlr. Stevens observes, that, "an ordinary horse, upon a veli constructed edge railway, on a level line of draught will work with afcout 10 tons of goods." Mr. Palme r an English engineer, gives the following as the effect of a single horse's draught upon the different railways at 2 1-2 miles an hour:

Weight of the load Weight of the load

araion in lbs. Lanclly tram road 4,602 Sumy, do. 6 750 Penrin edge rail 10,034 Cheltenham tram road 8,679 New br'ch of do. dusty 11,765 Do. clean 14 070 Etlge railways near ) Newcastle. 5 ' '

This table shews the great superiority of

the edge rails. The engineer observes, too, that the vehicles are made in a verv rude mr : manner, and that were more care employed in their construction the Io:.d might be much increased. -Railways are generally made double, one for going and the other for returning. The breadth of ground required for a single railway, is from 9 to 12 feet; for a double one

licm 15 to 25. The expense of a

and zcao-on m

8,550 9,000 13,050 15,500 IS 300 21.900 25,500

double

road, including the price of the ground, may be estimated generally at from 3000 to 5000 per mile, or from one half to one third of the expense of a canal. Mr. Stephenson says, "the first expense of a canal will be found to be double, if not treble, the expense of a railway; such are the difiiculties of passing through a well cultivated country, and of especially procuring a sufficient supply of water in manufacturing districts, that four times the expense will in most cases be nearer the mark." We speak here of railways of the ordinary kind for the transportation of goods; but it is very probable that one destined to serve the purpose of a great national thoroughfare, for vehicles of all kinds, quick and slow, would cost at least twice as much. Even in this case, however, the original outlay would certainly not amount to more than half or a third of what would be required for a canal of such a magnitude as to aiFord the same amount of commercial accommodation. A railway from Glasgow to Berwick, 125 miles long, projected in 1810, was surveyed by Mr. Telford, and estimated to cost 365,700; or 2,926 per mile. The estimated expense cf a railway from Birmingham to Liverpool, distance 104 miles,surveyed within these few months, is 350,000, or 3,365 per mile. That of one from the Cromford Canal to the Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire, 32 miles long, is 150,000 or 4,700 per mile. A recent Carlisle paper states that the expense of a railway between that city and New Castle, was estimated at 252,000, or 4000 per mile; and that of a canal at 888,000, or 14,000 per mile. A railway projected to run from Manchester to Liverpool, 33 miles, has been estimated to cost 400,000, which is no less than 13,000 per mile; but this includes a large amount for warehouses, and locomotive engines. Lastly, a railway from Dalkeith to Edinburgh, including a branch to Fisherro harbor 9 1-4 miles long altogether, will cost, according to the recent estimates of John Grieven, 36,862, or 3,983 per mile, including the expense of five locomotive and one stationary steam engine. To the Editors of the Baltimore American Gentlemen Having in my last communication given a description of the construction and form of a rail road, I shall now proceed to lay before my fellow-citizens, a detail of the mode in which the wagons are drawn upon its surface, together with the manner in which the load to be conveyed is disposed of. During a great number cf years, horses were alone used in England, and, indeed, in many parts of that country still continue to be, for the purpose of draught upon railways. But since the invention of moveable steam engines, they have been preferred to horses, both on account of the greater power which they possess, and the saving of expense. It was formerly customary to place the whole load in one wagon, thus causing an immense weight to rest on any one point of the rail road, consequently it was necessary to make the rails of great thickness, to support the

burden. To remedy this it was thought advisable to divide the load and place it on several smaller wagons instead of one larger, for instance, a wagon carrying ten tons, would be a dead weight to that amount on any given point, but by dividing the burthen, and putting it in five smaller wagons, chained together, the weight on any point of the rail would only be two tons. To illustrate the immense increase of power attending the use of railways, I will copy an extract from a statement made by the manager of the Penrhyn State works, in Carnarvonshire, in a communication addressed to the Society of Arts and Sciences. After

stating the length of the road to be 6 1-2

miles, and that it was divided into five stages,as he terms them,he proceeds to remark, "On this railway two horses draw twentyfour wagons, one stage six times a day, and carry twenty-four tons each journey, which is 140 tons per day. This quantity used to employ 144 carts and 400 horses, so that ten horses will by means of the railway do the work of 400." In another instance it was ascertained that an ordinary sized horse of the value of about 20 sterling, or 90 dollars, could, in a descent of one foot in the hundred, draw with ease upwards of 30 tons, and with great exertion 43 tons. The usual calculation, I believe, is that in a little descent or level a horse, can draw 12 or 14 tons, and in an as

cent in equal degree with the descent, can draw 4 tons. i Believing that a diagram of a railway, together with the steam and other wagons upon it, would tend to render the subject more easily understood, 1 have caused one to be engraved. The engaving here referred to, could not be procured. An idea may be fromed of the steam engine by the explanation which follows. It will be observed, in referring to this diagram, that the steam en

gine has six wheels, four of which, the two

foremost and the two hindmost, have grooves to fit the rail, like those of the wagons in

tended to carry the merchandize, and rest

upon the smooth rail, and that the two mid

die, which are cog-wheels, play into the cogs

of the rail, which are somewhat nearer to

the surface of the earth than the smooth edge. The four wheels, which run upon the smooth surfaces, support the whole weight

of the steam engine, of course the middle, or cog-wheels, are not pressed upon, and being put into motion by the machinery of the en

gine, serve to propel the wagons in the same

manner as the wheels of steam boats act. It

may be asked whether the power of the

moveable engine will be sufficient to work

the load over hills; to this I answer that it is amply sufficient for ordinary ascents, but

that when a hill ol great height and steep

ness is to be surmounted, it will be necessary

to have a stationary engine at the top of the

eminence, which, by means of chains, can

draw the loaded wagons up the acclivity.

Those of m fellow-citizens who feel an in

terest in this subject, which, in my estima

tion, is of vital importance to our country generally, and to our city in particular, will have an opportunity of seeing a model of a railway with wagons, by visiting the Exchange News Room, where one is now deposited. I shall now close this communication by giving the reference to the subjoined diagram, and shall reserve, for future essays, the statement of the velocity with which goods may be transported, together with the cost which will attend the formation of a railway between this place and New-Haven; and also the peculiar reasons which present themselves at this time to induce us to step forward with alacrity and ensure to ourselves not only the benefits arising from the produce which descends the Susquehannah,

but also toe return trade of the country watered by that noble river and its branches Clinton. Rail Reads In another part cf this day's Arneriean,our readers will rind an essav from our intelligent and patriotic correspondent "Clixtox,"'' accompanied with an engraving, representing a section of rail rcadVith a locomotive steam engine and transportation wagons. For the still better understanding of this important mode of travelling and transportation, a neat model has been placed at the Exchange Reading Rooms, for the examination and consideration of the citizens. Upon this very interesting subject, we find the following article, copied from a late number of the London Courier, to which we ask the universal attention of our readers: The public generally are but very little aware of the uses to which rail roads are about to be applied; the following information, therefore, will, we trust, be acceptable to our readers. Hitherto, rail roads have been used for very limited purposes, and whenever they are spoken of, it is in connexion with the coal pitts and stone quarries; but they are now about to be applied for the purpose of conveying merchandize over very extended lines of country, and thus they are becoming an object of great national interest. Rail roads, as hitherto worked by horses, possess very little, if any, advantage over canals, but rail roads, worked by the locomotive steam engine, have so decided a superiority, both as regards time and expense, that there can be no question but they will

be generally adopted whenever a new line ofj

conveyance has become necessary, either from an increase of trade, or from the exorbitant demand of canal proprietors. By the locomotive engine, 50 tons of goods may be conveyed by a ten horse power engine, on a level road, at the rate of six miles an hour, and lighter weights at a proportionHe increase of speed ; carriages for the conveyance of passengers at the rate of 1 2 to 14 miles per hour. For canals it is necessary to have a dead level, but not so for rail roads :

an engine will work goods over an elevation

the ascent or descent is rapid, and cannot be

counteracted by digging and embankments

recourse must be had to permanent engines

and inclined plains, just as recourse is had to locks for canals, but here again the rail road system has the advantage; the inclined plain

causes no delay, while locking creates a

great deal.

Two acts of Parliament have already been obtained, namely, the Stocton and Darlington act, and the Moreton act. On these lines, which exceed thirty miles each, it is intended to adopt the locomotive engire9and they will both be very soon ready for the conveyance of goods. There are also three or four other rail roads projected. Two years ago, several gentlemen in Liverpool and Manchester subscribed to obtain a survey of a line between those two towns. It was accomplished and found practicable. From various causes the projection of the plan wag delayed; but a few months since it was undertaken with great spirit. A deputaton from both towns was appointed to inspect the rail roads and locomotive engines of the north; they inspected the Stockton and Darlington line and inquired minutely into its costs; they witnessed the engines working on the Helton railway, near Sunderland, and made a most favourable report. The committee immediately appointed Mr. George Stephenson, of New-Castle upon Tyne, their engineer, who has since surveyed and adopted a new line. Its length is 33 1-1 6th miles, and the greatest ascent or descent, is only 1-1 6th of an inch to a yard. The distance., by the high roads, is 36 miles, and by the canals and river 50 miles. The shares appropriated to Liverpool and Manchester, have all been disposed of, but the committee have a small number placed in their hands to be distributed as they may deem proper. Application for an act will be made next session of Parliament ; the cost is estimated at about300,000. Mr. Stephenson has also laid down a line between Birmingham and Liverpool, of which report speaks most favourably; and the Birmingham committee will also go to Parliament next session. It is intended to meet the Peak Forest and Cromford canal by means of a rail road; a rail road is also spoken of at Stroud, and the high sheriff of Northumberland has convened a county meeting to invite the expedien. cv of establishing one between New-Castle and Carlisle.

South America. Advices have been received at Norfold from Carthagena, to 6th March. On the 8th February an extraordinary Congress was held at Bogota, to take into consideration the resignation of Gen, Bolivar, in conformity to his determination, after the destruction of the Spanish forces Great interest was excited during the reading of the General's letter, and at the con-' elusion, it was unanimously resolved, that he should be requested to continue to be President of the Republic. The election of the Vice President and Representative! in Congress, was to take place in April. An agent from Hayti had arrived at Colombia, to propose a treaty of Commerce, as well as definitive alliance between the two governments. A silent zvoman. Madame Regnier, lady of the Procureur Civil of Versailles, was speaking one day at her own house in the midst of a numerous company. Having made some misplaced remark, though of no importance, her husband addressing her before the company, ridiculed her for her absurdity, and said, Madame, you are a fool." She lived twenty years after this occurrence, during the w hole of which time she did not utter a single word, even to her children, An attempt was made to surprize her, by feigning a robbery of her house, but in vain not a word escaped her. When required to give her consent to the marriage of her children, she merely made a sign with her headr and signed the contract of marriage. She never o:;ce opened her mouth: she never could pardon the insult offered to her self love. Anecdote of Jackson. When the British fleet arrived off New-Orleans, in December, 1814, previous to Packenham's landing his army, the admiral of the fleet sent his compliments to General Jackson, and informed that he (the admiral) would do himself the honour of eating his Christmas dinner in N. Orleans. "May be so," replied old Hicko

ry; 4;but I shall do myself the honour of sit-

cf one-eighth of an inch to the yard. Where! ting at the head of the table,"