Editorial Notices, &c.. .401 .409 AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL. NEW-YORK, JUNE 23, 1832. 413 JOURNAL. NEW-YORK, JUNE 23, 1832. twenty-three, and in returning, twenty minutes, and VOLUME I....NO. 26. STEAM CARRIAGES ON COMMON ROADS.-We have it is scarcely possible for those who have not had an taken an interesting extract upon steam carriages on it From the seat of Indian Comparison Value of Rail- Hostilities, Gold and roads and Canals, by a Silver Coins, Congress.411 Correspondent..... .402 Westpoint, Indian War..412] Railroad Directors, Steam- Tribute to Gen. Lafayette, Carriages, Improved ConDeath of Mr. Johntson veyance of the Mails....403 of the H of Reps. U. S., Erie & Ohio Railroad, Rail- , BishopOnderdonk's let- The passenger is scarcely aware of the movement fore cannot, we think, be without interest to many road Transportation, &c...405 ter and prayers.......413 except by the rapidity with which he passes objects. of our readers. We have before published extracts Literary Notices.. ..406 Commercial.. From Irving's new Novel..407 Summary.. 414 He feels in perfect safety, although at times his ele- from Mr. Gurney's examination, and shall soon reThe Battery, &c... ..408 Poetry, Meteorological TaHealth of New-York, FOT- bles, Marriages, Deaths, vation above the surrounding fields may be 15 or 20 for to it again. Woods eign Intelligence... Passengers, &c.. 416 feet. There is not the least danger to be apprehendHome Affairs-Public Meet- Accounts respecting ChoWe have omitted, this week, our extracts upon ings, Frigate U. States, lera......... ..416 ed from a deviation from the rails, as the depth of the relative value of Railroads and Canals from Mr. The AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL is pub the flange on the wheel and the weight of the cars Smith's book, to give place to an able communicalished at 35 Wall-street, New-York, at $3 a year, in advance render it impossible for one or two horses to move tion, which will be found well worth the attensideways, whilst the guard--an apparatus for re-tion of our readers. The writer, whose real signamoving obstructions-prevents any thing over half ture, if we are not mistaken in the man, would have an inch in diameter from interfering with the wheels. greater influence upon the subject in question than For persons fond of inhaling the cool breezes, or even his assumed one, takes strong ground in favor of enjoying the green fields and beautiful flowers of Canals for most purposes. Such communications, A TRIP TO PATERSON on the Railroad. Seeing a of the country, we cannot imagine a more delight although the doctrines they inculcate do not fully communication a day or two since in the New York ful excursion at so little cost, both of time and mo- accord with our long cherished opinions, will always American from which we learned that a portion of ney, as a trip to Paterson; which may be performed find a place in the Journal, as it is from scientific and the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad was com-out and home again in one day, with ample time to practical men, such as we believe Fulton to be, that pleted, and that elegant Cars were provided for the visit the curiosities of that interesting and growing we look for, and from whom we expect to derive, accommodation of passengers, we determined at town, which are but imperfectly known to most of together with experiments upon those roads now in once to avail ourselves of the first leisure day to our citizens, or they would be visited by hundreds use, the necessary information, to enable us to dehave a ride on the Railroad, and visit the thriving where they are now visited only by individuals. The cide between the rival interests of the two systems of village of Paterson. Falls of the Passaic have long been celebrated as a-internal improvements. We left Wall street at half past seven, and crossed mong the most interesting places of resort for these to Hoboken at eight o'clock A. M., where we took a who are fond of the wild beauties of nature. There are To the Editor of the American Railroad Journal: As the subject of Railroads has received a large seat in an excellent coach with good horses, belong- also numerous flourishing manufacturing establish. share of public attention for some time past, as ing to the line of Messrs. Kinney, Rodgers & Roy, ments, in which may be heard the buz of the spindle, monied men are vesting a large amount in this com whose coaches leave regularly four times, viz : 8 & the click of the shuttle, and the sound of the trip habitants of this city have been enabled to test their paratively new business, and as but few of the in10 A. M., and 2 & 4 P. M., each day, for Aquacka. hammer,-music to many, and novelty to others. advantages by personal observation, it may be well nonk, where the line of the Railroad is intersected, There are also good hotels for the accommodation to inform your readers that an opportunity is now and the passengers are relieved from the inconve- of visiters; and among others, that of our old neigh. afforded at but little labor or expenee. Five miles nience of small coaches and dusty roads, by taking bor, VAN ANTWERP, of Hoboken and turtle-soup me in full operation, and is traversed in elegant cars of the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad is now seats in splendid and convenient cars-which will mory, at which may be found what has more charms drawn by fleet horses. Stages leave Hoboken at 8 with ease accommodate twenty persons inside, and for many than either the roar of the Falls, or the and 10 o'clock in the morning, and 2 and 4 in the from six to twelve on the top-to each of which is bustle of business. With such inducements we have afternoon for Aquackanonk on the Pasaic, 10 miles attached a fleet horse, managed by a careful driver. no doubt that a trip to Paterson, and a ride on the Railroad cars run from Aquackanonk to Paterson, from Hoboken, and return at the same hours. The The distance from Aquackanonk to the termination Railroad will become a common occurrenco with six or eight times each day. The writer of this has of the road, near the brick meeting house at Pater- those of our citizens who have not already enjoyed just performed the journey with much satisfaction. sun, is 4 3.4 miles, and consists of one level and two the pleasure. By a reference to their advertisement The town of Paterson presents inducements suffinclined planes. From Aquackanonk the ascent is ment, in the Journal, the hours of starting from cient of themselves, independent of the Railroad, to gradual about three miles, passing over one or two each ond of the road may be learned. compensate those for a visit, who are fond of excursions of this kind. Yours, A SUBSCRIBER Mr. Rawle, of Penn. has been employed by the embankments, and through a cutting of rock from In our next, we shall endeavor to give an account ten to twenty feet deep, and about one hundred and of the mode of constructing this Road, which is in Central and the Cape Fear and Yadkin Railroad fifty yards in length. On passing the summit level, some measure different from any other that we have Companies of North Carolina, as their Engineer, to which is about one fourth of a mile in length,the de, an account of, and which was proof against the frost execute the necessary surveys upon those routes.scent is at an average of about twenty-one feet to of the late severe winter. We acknowledge, with [Charleston Gazette.) the mile, until we reach the depot near Paterson. pleasure, the politeness of the President of the ComRailroad.-We understand that it is the determination of the engineer, Lieut. Young, to have the The time required to perform this distance of 4 3.4 pany, who accompanied us over the line of the Road, cars running on the route between Schenectady and miles varies from twenty to twenty-five minutes, and gave us such information as we were desirous this place, by the 1st day of July ensuing.-[Balaccording to circumstances. We were, in going out, to obtain. ston Spa Gaz.] [FOR THE AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL.] I appeal to facts. In this country, where the land beration. If the communication has for its object MR. EDITOR: In most of the articles published in is, generally, a gift from its proprietor to the con- the connection of a manufacturing with a commer. structors of the work, in consideration of the bene- cial town, no question can arise as to the superiority your journal, as well as in many of those published ficial results promised from it to the residue of his of the Railroad over the Canal as a means to effect in different parts of the Union, I have discovered a property, a mile of canal, of sufficient capacity for it, and for this reason: the manufacturer can afford spirit that is exercising a baneful influence over the boats of 25 tons burthen, can be made under favor. to pay a higher rate of toll on his goods, than would minds of our fellow citizens, by inducing them to able circumstances for not exceeding $3000 per be demanded on them if carried by canal, in consid. mile-it has been done for less. A mile of Rail.eration of the gain in time. This is a point of vital embark in speculations, whose ends being altoge-road, under similarly favorable circumstances, can. importance as it enables him to avail of the fluctusther unjustifiable by the means requisite to attain not be constructed for less than $15,000, that is, tions of the home and foreign markets, and facili. them, must, in many instances, eventuate in heavy for masonry and graduation, $8000, and for the tates him in carrying on a competition with foreign pecuniary sacrifices. A few individuals are alone iron rails, $7000. This, of course, presumes a nations, to obtain that pre-eminence which constibenefited by these precocious undertakings. These, Road built of durable materials, and calculated for tutes his main spring of action. The same will ob. the permanent benefit of the country. That the tain where a greater degree of facility in the convey. having disposed of their respective interests at a estimate for such a road is not extravagant, I appeal ance of passengers is of primary importance, or handsome per centage, under the effects of the ex- to the Reports made by the Presidents of different wherever the articles to be transported are in a mancitement, bequeath the consequences, as a legacy, works to their stockholders. That of the Baltimore ufactured state, and pay a high rate of toll and freight to the majority, who discover, when too late. that and Ohio Railroad gives an average of $30,000 per in comparison of their bulk. But should the commile. The Camden & Amboy Railroad gives one of munication be intended to connect an extensive coal they have been acted on, and stript of every thing $18,550 per mile. The Philadelphia, Germantown, or iron district with either a seaport or manufactur. but the consoling reflection of having been the dupes and Norristown one of $40,000 per mile,and the Hud. ing town, the case assumes a different aspect, and a of a few designing persons. I am no enemy, Mr. Son and Mohawk one of $42,000 per mile; and these, canal becomes the medium of intercourse: first, beEditor, to the system of internal improvements, so all exclusive of land, wagons and engines. The last cause these articles being of little value in comparimentioned work has but two inclined planes on the son of their bulk are restricted to a very low rate of far as it is exercised as a means to the prosperity and whole route, the residue being level, or nearly so; toll and freight; and in the second place, because advancement of our country: on the contrary, a sin- the rails are composed of yellow pine, six inches the miners knowing very nearly the extent of the cere desire to promote that end, as far as in me lay, square, and shod on the upper side with flat wrought consumption throughout the country, can make the now induces me, through the medium of your valu. iron, 9-16ths of an inch by 2 1-2, and secured on necessary provision for it during the whole year, and granite blocks of two cubic feet in content, placed transport it at leisure to its destination during the able journal, to solicit the indulgence of yourself three feet apart from centre to centre. This differ spring, summer and autumn months. Again, should and readers, to make a few brief observations on the ence, however, may in many instances be considera. the interest to be consulted be purely agricultural, relative and particular advantages of the different bly modified by physical causes. A Railroad not the Canal, of all others, is the means best calculated modes of internal communication, and. endeavor to being restricted to level lines, can avail of a grade to effect it. The farmer wants a cheap mode of conof 40 feet in the mile to reduce such cuttings and veyance for his produce to a market; whether it goes show wherein they are severally applicable to the embankments as may be opposed to its route; this there at the rate of twenty or at the rate of four ends for which they are designed. however being the maximum of acclivity wherever miles per hour, is to him a matter of little conse. That each commercial and manufacturing town economy in power is a consideration, (and this of quence; all he requires is an assurance that no un is vitally interested in the success of every pro- necessity is always the case,) can obtain but to a very necessary delay need be apprehended; and that a limited extent. The next assertion, that the annual calculation may be made with a tolerable degree of ject that has for its ultimate object any improveexpense of repairs is less, argues a greater degree of eertainty, as to the precise time of its arrival at the ment in the means of transportation; that it is the durability in the one than in the other. Although point of destination. If these are practicable his interest of every agricultural district to encourage this point is constantly harped on, I feel persuaded end is obtained. the surest and cheapest mode of conveyance for its that occular demonstration to the contrary may be It now behoves me, in order to the clearer elucida. produce to some near seaport town; and that there had by every unprejudiced person, who will take tion of my position, to speak of the relative physi that trouble to satisfy himself. The canal proper be- cal advantages of these two formidable rivals, if so exists an intimate connection, and a mutual depen- ing composed of imperishable materials, like good they must be considered. At a velocity not exdence between the producer and consumer, are tru- wine, improves with its years; its liability to acci-ceeding two and a half miles per hour, experiment isms that need no demonstration. But that these dents and interruptions diminishes in the inverse gives a proportion of useful effect of nearly one to several interests are equally interested, as to the proportion as it is used. The Railroad, on three in favor of canals; at a velocity of five miles particular mode in which their object is obtained, is the contrary, is constantly deteriorating in value, por hour the useful effect becomes nearly equal, and not quite so self-evident. If they were, a remedy and becoming more and more liable to accidents and at a velocity not exceeding ten miles per hour the to the evil would be found in its consequences: interruptions, by the wear and tear of the engines proportion is about one to three in faver of Railmeans of intercourse would be created to meet the and carriages, the oxydation of the iron, or decay of roads. These results, however, are based on the necessities of the country; and not, as heretofore, the wooden rails, as the case may be, and the presumption that the road is perfectly level and free by anticipating them, absorb in visionary projects loosening of the foundation stones. As to their from dust, desiderata not often attainable in our resources that might be more directly and beneficial respective contingent works, the lock-gates of mountainous country. The resistance from the ly applied to the wants of the community. That the Canal require renewal once, say in ten years; first arises from the gravitating influence of the enthis is too frequently the case, many works, both in whilst the engines, both locomotive and station. gine, cars and burthen, and is determined by dividing England and this country, will bear testimony to.-ary, involve a heavy annual expenditure to pre- the sine of the angle of inclination into their weight; The human mind is naturally averse to changes, serve them in a proper working condition. Ca. the other cannot be so accurately obtained, but some and predisposed to tread the unbeaten path of inno-nals are subject to breaches, Railroads to settlings, idea of it may be formed from the result of an exvation with a cautious step; yet experience teaches which frequently require the overhauling of miles of periment made by Mr. Palmer on the Cheltenham us, that when the ice is once broken, and a way road, in order either to restore the continuity and tramroad, from which it appeared that it required fairly laid open, its progress becomes as rapid and parallelism of the rails, or regulate the curves and 19 1-2 per cent. more power to draw the carriages heedless of obstacles as the unrestrained course of levels thereby disturbed. These last, however, may when the rails are slightly covered with dust, than a mountain torrent. An exemplification of this is be regarded as equal, as they generally cease in ei-when swept clean. As to the relative rate of transto be seen in our own country, in the existing mather case after the third or fourth year after portation I refer to the following statement drawn nia that pervades all classes of our fellow-citizens in they are in operation. The third and last point, from facts:-A boat of 25 tons burthen can be built favor of Railroads, and which, unless soon checked relative to the proportionate rate of attendance, for $120; two horses, to tow it at the rate of four by the hand of sound judgment and intelligence, depending entirely on adventitious causes, must, of miles per hour, will cost $80 each-equal to $160 will be attended by consequences as disastrous as necessity, vary to suit different cases. The number making the first investment equal to $280. To those of its precursor, Canal. The proximate cause of locomotive engines and inclined planes on the one, keep this capital in action for the space of eight of this gullibility in capitalists is to be found in the and the number of locks or levels on the other, are months, it will require the assistance of a man and unparalleled prosperity of our happy country. A the principal data by which it is to be determined.-boy The wages of the man at $20 per month will large floating capital is to be disposed of, and the A Railroad requires at each inclined plane, where amount to $160; those of the boy to $50; add to means of investment being incommensurate with stationary power is used, two men; at every sta- which $120 for subsistence of horses, and you have the anxiety to invest, induces them to plunge head- tion of five miles one man to keep the road free an aggregate of $330 for the annual expense. A long into every current of speculation that offers from obstructions, and two men to each locomo. locomotive engine to draw the same number of tons, any prospect of profit, and, without reflecting on tive carriage that may be in use. A Canal requires at the rate of ten miles per hour, will cost, accordthe chances of shipwreck, pursue their mad ca one man to each lock, provided they are separate-ing to the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad Rereer until by a dearly bought experience they if they are contiguous, one man with the assis- port, $3,200, or, according to that of the South are made sensible of its futility. This is no ex tance of a boy, may superintend five or six-and Carolina Road, $5,000: it will require two men to aggeration; it has already been exemplified in each lock-tender being held responsible for the good tend it, and, according to first mentioned Repert, Pennsylvania by their canals, and promises fair condition of the level above his lock or locks, no where labor is far cheaper than in this country, the to be so in Maryland, New York, and other States, additional attendance is requisite. As to the gene. annual expense to keep it in operation will amount by their innumerable projects for Railroads, by ral police it must be the same in both cases, vary- to $1,630. Cars carrying two and a half tens will rendering unproductive the immense amount of ing only with the extent of the work, and the bu. cost $126 each, or $1,260 in addition to the $3, capital absorbed in their constructions. To guard siness done upon it. 200, or $5,000 will be required for a train of ten to against this menacing evil is the object of the pre- Although this comparison shows a considerable carry twenty-five tons. But it is useless to pursue sent paper; and to this effect it will be necessary balance in favor of canals, and will, it is hoped, have this head farther, because every fact that can be adto expose the sophistry of the leading arguments its effect in restoring them to their proper equilibri-duced will but corroborate the assertion already of what is unwisely termed the Railroad party.-um, still it is not to be inferred that they are to be made, that where speed is a primary object, or They are briefly as follows, viz. that the expendi adopted in preference to Railroads, indiscriminately, where the conveyance of passengers and manufac ture first involved is less than that on canals; that in all cases. In order to decide on the most eligible tured goods are the principal articles of transportathe annual expense of repairs is materially less; and mode of communication between any two places, tion, a Railroad is to be preferred, and other things that, where the business is equal, less attendance the characteristic peculiarities of the locality, the boing equal where a low rate of toll and freight is is requisite in order to keep them in operation. nature of the resources to be developed, and the inte. of primary importance, a canal takes procedence. That experience does not justify these assertions, rest to be advanced, should be subjects of calm deli- It may perhaps be said, in reply to my arguments, that the comparisons here drawn are unjust, inas. Steam Carriages.-A bill for regulating the tolls flue through which the fire passes; the sides of the much as some Railroads have been constructed for to be levied on steam carriages has just been printed. boilers from the chimneys. between five and six thousand dollars per mile in It proceeds in the preamble, that by some local acts Have you ascertained what pressure such boilers this country. Admitted; but how has this very low excessive tolls have been imposed, while in others are equal to ? I have never gone beyond 400 lbs. rate per mile been obtained? By crossing ravines no toll whatever has been contemplated; to repeal on an inch. I have worked it on a road at 400; the and valleys by flimsy structures of wood, instead the former, and to enact that in all places in the average pressure on an inch is from 60 to 100. of embankments and substantial viaducts; not only United Kingdom where toll is at present leviable on At what pressure do you set your safety valve? violating thereby the first principles of the art, but carriages drawn by horses, the following rate of tells Taking the average of roads, I work at about 70 lbs. also prejudicing the safety of all such persons as shall be levied, after noon of the first July next, on upon the square inch. may be quixotic enough to venture their lives upon all steam or other mechanical carriages:-When the You have calculated how many square feet of them for what so soon promotes decay in wood passengers are not more than six, the same toll as boiler? At the present carriage, I have 100 square as the alternate action of heat and moisture? a four wheeled carriage drawn by two horses; when feet of boiler exposed to the fire. and, I beg leave to ask, how long it is to be more than six, the same toll as a four wheeled carWhat distance do you run from stage to stage? expected that timber exposed to the burning solar riage with four horses; double tolls to be levied when What I consider the stage I have run is four miles; rays and heavy rains of a Southern climate can the wheeis are less than 3 1.2 inches in width, or but every eight miles I take in water; I go there possibly endure? But admitting, for a moment have a greater convexity than half an inch. Car and back. only, such structures to be consistent with safety riages for goods to be charged the same as a cart You consider your stage eight miles? Yes. and durability; do not the same apply to canals? with one horse for each ton, or part of a ton, of Do you take in both water and fuel at the end of Suppose that in place of the magnificent aque. which the load consists: the engine carriages, if a stage? Yes, at the end of eight miles. duct, with its graceful arch, a wooden trunk be sub. separate, is not to be charged, and each carriage in What quantity of water and what quantity of fuel stituted, supported high in the air by a complicated the train, after the first, is to be charged half of the do you use for each stage? About 7 cwt. of water, frame structure-for the substantial lock of stone, a single toll. The exceptions from toll are, carriages and sometimes eight; it depends upon the roads; chamber of wood-and then you have a canal on a belonging to, or in the employment of his Majesty or we consume more steam when the roads run heavy. par with such a Railroad-and one which might be the Royal family-carriages conveying mails, king's How much coal or coke do you use for each stage? constructed for an average, with few exceptions, of stores, officers or men in the army, yeomanry, or About two bushels of coke. coke when you set off? No, that would vary ac cording to circumstances. If I were in a hurry, I could get the steam up in five minutes; but the average tine is about twenty minutes in getting up our stoam, and we do not consume more than a bushel. That is at first starting? That is at first starting. Where does the guide sit? In the front, the same exactly as a coachman in a common stage. How many passengers have you carried? We carry ten; but I am making provision to carry 14. What is the weight of your vehicle? I should imagine about three tons and a half. not exceeding $4000 per mile. Speculators may volunteers, or the navy, on service-agricultural| Do you mean that you take two bushels at the reap rich harvests from such undertakings, but it produce to or from market for sale, or carrying per commencement of each stage? I take more with will be at the expense of permanent stockholders. sons to or from church, or a funeral, or a county ine, but I always consume a quarter of a bushel The cause of error is to be ascribed to our want election-in conveying the surveyor of the road, or per mile. of experience. Conclusions are consequently drawn in the transmission of vagrants. A penalty of £5. You do not in that include your first charge of from effects produced in other countries, which are is attached to the toll-taker demanding a larger toll altogether inapplicable to our own. We have no than allowed in the act.-[Liverpool Times.] two places comparable with Manchester and Liverpool-and yet the wondrous effects resulting from IMPROVED CONVEYANCE OF THE MAILS.-It is, we that road are spoken of as so many arguments in understand, in the contemplation of the Post Office favor of similar projects here, Do they know that to transmit all the Mails of the Kingdom by light that work cost near $80,000 per mile. When they two-horse vehicles instead of the four-horse post- Do you apply a second carriage to your engine read accounts of the astonishing rise in the Railroad coaches at present in use. Since the improvement for passengers, or do you carry them in the same stocks of England, it would be well if before draw. in road making, and the correspondent improve carriage? The boiler is placed behind the carriage; ing their inferences, they made some inquiry as to ment in the quality of the ordinary stage coaches, there is an engine house between the boiler and the the relative rate of canal stocks in the same country. and the speed of traveling, the mails are no longer carriage; the engines are placed perpendicular beI have a list now before me of twenty-four canal the fastest or the best coaches on their respective tween the passengers and the boiler, and the fore stocks, drawing their revenues from the transporta. roads; and the contractors, who calculated on a part of the vehicle is for the passengers, so that all tion of coal. This list shews an advance of over preference at all times from the traveler, with whom the machinery is quite behind the carriage, and the 100 per cent. on the par value of the different stocks, speed and accommodation were the only objects, fore part of the carriage entirely for the convenience and as I do not recollect ever having seen it pub. now find that their gains from this source are most of passengers. lished, shall beg leave to subjoin from it a few of the ruinously diminished, and that they cannot continue principal ones. The original cost of the Birming to carry the mails by four horse coaches without a ham canal stock was £140, and is now selling at more liberal allowance from Government. Taking £2,240; of the Loughborough £100, and now sell. this into consideration, and having ascertained that ing at £1,800; of the Coventry £100, aud now by the use of two horse machines, carrying two pas. £840; Erewash £100, and now £700. The Forth sengers, as in France, the speed of the conveyance and Clyde, Mersey and Irvell, Oxford, Stafford and of the Mails can be increased by full two miles in Have you ever weighed it? Not this carriage, Worcester, Trent and Mersey, &c. all selling at an an hour, it is proposed by the Post Office, at the but the carriage I had before, the vehicle itself with advance of 500 per cent. on the par value of their end of the present contracts, to adopt the new sys the engines and boilers, weighed three tons. I constocks, and the remainder at advances exceeding 100 tem throughout the kingdom.-[London Observer.] sider the present carriage to weigh from three tons to three and a half tons, with fuel and water. Extracts from a Report on Steam-Carriages of a Have you found the rate of tolls that have been Committee of the House of Commons-printed for charged at the turnpike gates very high? On the the House of Representatives of the United States. city road toll, I have paid a shilling. I do not know whether it is according to proportion, for it Are you the proprietor of a steam carriage run. was a thing that did not embrace my attention at ning on a turnpike road? Yes. that time; but the highest toll that I have paid is a How long have you been running that steam car. shilling; but on the road that I run from Stratford riage? I dare say about a twelvemonth this present to London they told me they would not take it; coach, but I have been working for hire on the road they would take it another day. only a month. What effect do you think your carriage has upon At an election held on Wednesday for Director Are you the inventor of that particular description the road, in proportion with a carriage equally loadof the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad Company, the of engines that you make use of? Yes. ed with four horses? I think, myself, we should rafollowing persons were chosen :-David S. Jones, Will you state the progress which you have made ther improve the roads by the operation of our enLynde Catlin, Ramsay Crooks, *George Griswold, in the improvement of your steam carriage? The *Samuel Glover, of the city of New York; *Wm. principal improvement I consider is in the boiler; James, Jacob Townsend, James Stevenson, *Tu. that of constructing the boiler mueh lighter than nis Van Vecten, of Albany. any that are now in use. per cent. This subject might be prolonged to a much great. er extent; but I have already exceeded my bounds, as well, it is foared, as your patienee; and now con. sign the management of it to abler hands, in the full confidence that, under disinterested treatment, it cannot fail to exercise a wholesome influence in the early development of the rich mineral and agricul. tural resources in which our country is so prolific New York, June 13, 1832. FULTON. Stephen Van Rensselaer, Herman Le Roy, Niel Fish, John J. Degraff, and James Renwick, who were former Directors, declined a re-election, Mr. Cambreleng having previously resigned. * New Directors. Mr. Walter Hancock's Examination. gines, because a steam coach requires broad wheels, perfectly upright and flat on the outside of the tire. What is the breadth of the tire? The tires of the present wheels are about three inches and a half. Will you be kind enough to give a general out. What is the diameter of the hind wheels? Four line of your plan? There are flat chambers being feet. That is not a proportion that I consider to be about two inches thick, and there is a space between working as a profitable diamater; I consider that 9ach two inches; there are ten chambers, and there the diameter that should be used for a steam coach are ten flues, and under the flues there is six square is at least five feet. feet of fire, which is the dimension of the boiler top How wide could you make that tire without losing The following gentlemen were on Wednesday and bottom. The chambers are filled from half full power? It depends on the weight; but taking the elected Directors of the Saratoga and Schenectady to two thirds with water, and the other third is left common coaches, I should say from six to eight Railroad Company:-C. C. Cambreleng, Wm. G for steam: there is a communication quite through inches. Buckner, James Munroe, Jr., Henry H. Lawrence the series of chambers top and bottom; this com John Ferguson, of the city of New-York; Johr nunication is formed by means of two large bolts Townsend, Erastus Corning, of Albany; John Jwhich screw all the chambers together; the botton Degraff, of Schenectady; Thomas Palmer. of Ballelts the bottom part of the chambers, and the top ston Spa. New Directors in place of Wm. B. Astor and Henry Hone, who declined a re-election. bolts the top part of the chambers; and by releasing Without injuring the power? I have no doubt it would be no drawback on the power. Do you consider that such breadth would be as good as any other, the best you could make? Yes; because a broad wheel on gravel is considered to be great advantage; it is a great disadvantage on a road which is between wet and dry; but in those caes we have always an overplus of power blowing off CAPE-FEAR NAVIGATION COMPANY.-At the annua it the safety valve, and, from that circumstance, I meeting of the Stockholders of this Company a Im rather pleased at having rather a dead road to Fayetteville, on the 1st instant, James Mebane, Esq un upon, because we are obliged to construct the was elected President, and Messrs John H. Hall Does the fire pass between the boxes, or does it vehicle so as to overcome all obstacles in the road, Edward L. Winslow, Nathan Mendenhall, and Dass through them? It passes only between them.uch as dead gravel, &c. Charles J. Williams, Directors for the ensuing year There is no line of communication for the fir To how many of your wheels do you apply your George McNeill, Esq. Agen.-[Raleigh Register.]].nade between the boxes? Nothing more than the power? To two; occasionally one. Do you apply it to a crank? The axletree of the whole of the time; there were hundreds of peopresent carriage is made precisely the same as the ple walking round It, and I suppose they did not common axles now in use, straight and merely bont know it was working at all; there was no noise at at the end, and I have a chain which I put on the all in the machinery; and you could not, unless you naye of the wheel, and that communicates with had gone to the back, have known that it was work a corresponding chain wheel on the crank shaft of ing. the engines. Does spare steam pass off without noise? Not Of course there is equal facility, in avoiding any particular object on the road? Yes. In stopping so suddenly, would there not be a dan. ger of your being thrown off? No, I think not. Have you ever done it? Yes, I think I have. Supposing you wanted to stop in the quickest pos. sible way, at what distance could you stop at that What is the size of the circle on the wheel to any. rate of speed? About four feet, I should think, by which you apply your chain? About ten inches. Supposing that you were going at full work, and backing the engines, because it is like putting a block How wide is the corresponding circle on the crank that you had occasion to stop for a passenger, you to the wheel shaft? The corresponding pully of the shaft is just would be obliged to let off steam? Yes; but know. Would there be no danger in that? No, I think the same; so that the power of the engine is the ing from experience how to obviate a disadvantage not; it would throw a strain on the engines; the same exactly as though it were applied to the wheel of this kind, which of course practice alone has rate of eight miles an hour is not so great; it is only itself. brought to bear, it is probable that a stranger would in extreme cases that that would be done. I ain You have two wheels; how do you move the first hardly know it, it is so quiet. very frequently obliged to put up very short, from wheel? There are two engines working on two In what part would it be thrown off? It is divi- children running in the road. cranks, exactly on the same principle as used in ded and thrown off from the fire in every direction, Of what materials are your wheels made? Like common steam coaches. I take the chains; I place and it is instantly consumed; the force is spent. common dished wheels, they ought to be perfectly the engine four feet from the axletree of the hind Is not that rather a dangerous experiment to throw cylindrical. I merely took them to avoid expense; wheels, and the communication of the chain is to a great body of steam upon a confined fire? No, they were wheels which I had by me. allow me to put my work on the springs; and the we have never found any disadvantage from it. Are you proprietor of any other coaches? No. play of the carriage up and down is accommodated In no circumstances in which the engine may be Have you any means of ascertaining the propor. by the chain. at work, have you to let off steam in a way to cre- tion of friction that there is on your wheels, and Is your cylinder on springs? Yes, every thing ate a noise? No, the boiler will not hold any quan- those drawn by horses? No; I have never gone on springs. tity of steam; we let off the steam from the safety into experiments to any extent upon that point. Do you make use of one or two cylinders ?-valve as fast as we make it; there is no capacity Are your wheels shod frequently? No, I have Two. for accumulation; the fault of many boilers is, never had occasion to have the wheels shod; they What size? Twelve inches in the stroke and that if any accident happens there is a complete were not worn out. nine inches in the bore. explosion. For what number of miles could you run without Has your engine met with accidents? No, ex. Then, of course, the danger is lessoned? Yes, being obliged to shoe your wheels? I do not know. cept once I broke my chain; but in the course of to construct a boiler of that kind has been my object, Do you find any difference of wear between five minutes we could replace that chain by taking so that the steam may be let off. your propelling wheels and your drawing wheels? an extra chain with us. Supposing if one of your boilers were to burst, No, except in relation to the weight on the hind Are your boilers easily cleaned? In all the ex- what would happen? I will give the committee wheels. We throw more weight in order to produce perience I have had with the working of boilers, an instance. I was traveling about nine miles an friction, to get adhesion to the ground. have found that they never require cleaning. I con- hour at the time the boiler was the twenty-fourth Have you any scheme of tolls to produce to the sider that the ebullition is so rapid, and the action part of an inch thick. I was working then at 100 committee, which you think would be equitable to lay of water so violent, that it will not allow any dirt lbs. on the square inch, with 13 persons on the pre-on steam carriages for the use of the road? I have to fix. sent vehicle that I have now in use; and all of a considered the thing a great deal, and after taking How long do you calculate one of your boilers sudden the carriage stopped, and for what reason I every thing into consideration, the weight of the would last? It depends upon the thickness of metal. was at a loss to know. I got from my stage seat engine and the weight of the boiler, and so on, on The boiler we use I consider will last, in locomotive and went to the engineer to ask him what was the the one hand, I think it is much upon a par with the engines, from a twelvemonth to two years. reason he had stopped the steam; he told me he had weight of the horses, and the weight of the coach, What is the thickness of the iron that you use? not stopped the carriage, and he immediately ap. and the weight of the passengers on the other. I should suppose about the eighth of an inch thick. plied his hand to the guage cocks. I found there What would you consider the most equitable mode Of what material are they composed? Of the was neither steam nor water in the boiler. I imme- of charging steam carriages? I think there can best charcoal iron. diately knew the boiler was burst; they said they be no better mode than charging them as other What is the appearance of your carriage; has it did not know it, as they heard no noise, and I told coaches are charged. Does the chimney rise above the carriage? you cannot see the chimney. an unsightly appearance? I think my present car them that I did not mean they should know it. I Supposing that a common coach at present takes riage is any way from being handsome, because it said I would show them that it was so, and I took eighteen persons, and you, by improvement of your has been built entirely for experiments. the boiler from the carriage and unscrewed it, and coaches, could take thirty-six persons, how would No, there were four large holes that I could put my hand you apportion the rate of tolls that you ought to into. This occurred from the chambers being too pay? In that case, I think the fairest way would thin, and they drove all the water out of the toiler, be to have it in proportion to the number of perand yet there was no injury to any person; there sons that are carried. was not one person that heard any report; there Do you think it should be charged by weight?— was no steam, and there were no symptoms in any That, perhaps, would be as fair a way as any of way that the machine itself had burst. charging the toll. When steam is let off, where is it let off? can see nothing of it. You Then there can arise no annoyance either from smoke or from waste steam? Not at all. Do you find that horses are frightened by your carriage? I think I may say safely, that not one Do your boilers extend under the place where pas. horse in a thousand will take the least notice of it; sengers sit? No, quite at the back. occasionally a horse may shy at it. I have seen fine What is the length of the carriage? About 16 blood-horses come along and shy at a wheelbarrow feet, and the room the boilers occupy is about three lying in the road, and not shy at my engine. There feet. is one very curious instance which I had once oc- Are the chambers of the boiler placed upright side curred, and I was obliged to the gentleman for the by side? They are placed sideways. respect? I have no doubt of it. Charging the weight of your engine as compared with the weight of common coaches? Yes. Have you turned your attention to the improve. ment of your machine, by affixing a carriage to it, and making your engine independent of the carriage? Yes, I have considered the thing well in every point, and I think it is much better to construct the pains he had taken. He had a fine horse on the In what circle could you turn your earriage?-carriage both for passengers and machinery on one road and this horse shyed: he was determined to The circle of the inner wheels would be four feet, arrangement, not to have the thing divided: my rea. get over the difficulty, if it were possible; and to and the outer wheel would exceed that by the breadth son for considering it an improvement is this; for make him acquainted with it, he came with the en-between the wheels: taking the average it would be instance, if a new road is made, the object of the gine to town; and at last, when we got to London, ten feet. proprietors of that road is to get as heavy a roller as the horse got quite tranquil, so that he put his head Supposing you wanted to turn round, what should they can, even if it requires eight horses to draw in the engine-house, which is very uncommon, and you do? If I got into any difficulty, and wished to the roller. They do that in order to embed the gra which is a thing I never saw a horse do before. go back, by applying my hand to the lever I should vel to make it solid; and the nearer that a steam Then you anticipate that if such engines become reverse the motions and run the reverse way. coach approaches that roller, the better it is for the more common, there will be less difficulty in this Supposing that you are traveling in a street of ten propelling wheels. feet wide, and that there was another street of ten With respect to the tolls, are you satisfied with the Does it produce any very extraordinary noise in feet wide branching off at right angles with the first present tolls you pay? I think they are exorbitant; its motion? We have worked so quietly latterly, street, would there be any difficulty in turning into from Islington to the City Road they charge me a that I have almost run over people on the road, and it? Not any; but I could not turn round in that shilling. they have not heard me. I have had to halt very street. In that case I should back the engine. Are you aware what four-horse coaches, with often they have not been aware of the coach : Would you check your speed? That would de- eighteen passengers, pay on the same read? I am coming. pend upon the speed I was going at. If I was going not aware. Under any circumstances, the noiso that is an- at six miles an hour, it is probable that I should not From what cause do you judge it excessive? From ticipated would take place from the defect of the check the speed; but if I were going ten miles, it is the short distance which I come. I do not know machinery, and not from the machinery itself? probable that I should before I turned round into the what length of road I should have had to run before Yes; we make one third of the noise of a common street. I should have been subject to another toll. stage. Are your fore.wheels and hind. wheels the same Have you considered the subject whether it would When you let off steam, does it produce any vio. diameter? The fore.wheels are three feet three, be more equitable to charge the steam carriages by lent noise in stopping? I can give an instance to and the hind-wheels are four feet. horse-power or by weight, or by the number of pas. the contrary which occurred in London, which is Can you reverse the action of your carriage with sengers? I think the fairest way would be in prothe best place to put the thing to a test. About a great ease? Yes; by simply pulling a lever: it is portion to the number of persons they carried, or in fortnight or three weeks ago, Mr. Wilks was kind done momentarily. In my present carriage I could proportion to the weight. enough to mention my running on the Stanford road, not; but I have an arrangement of that kind in the What would you give as the basis of your calculaand I wished him to present a petition from me to the other carriage which I am making. tion, considering that the number of persons which House of Commons, and at the same time request- Supposing that you were going at the rate of eight the different coaches carry varies from eight to eigh ed that he would take a ride with me in my engine miles an hour, and that you wished to stop suddenly, teen? I see no other way, excepting that of the on the Stratford road. I waited three quarters of an in what number of feet could you stop your carriage? number of passengars, or according to the weight. hour for him, and the machinery was working the I will say twelve feet. Have you made any calculation as to the number of herses that the extension of these carriages will Have you made any calculation of the expense of easy and direct communication between Lake Erie displace with respect to each stage; what horse running a coach drawn by four horses, carrying a at Ashtabula, and the Ohio River, at Wellsville, bepower is equivalent to the carriage that you run? I certain number of passengers, and that of running ing the shortest, and therefore a very important take a stage to run 100 miles a day, and I reckon with one of your carriages at the same velocity? I upon the average it would take from 48 to 50 horses have endeavored several times, but I have never been route, between the Lake and the Ohio. for the whole distance; the common average is a able to get an accurate account of the power and Washington City, May 30, 1832. DEAR SIR-Immediately on the receipt of your horse a mile: but from the information I have en- other expenses incurred in driving a long stage; but deavored to get, from what I have gathered, I find I reckon my own expenses will cost from three to communication on the subject of the contemplated it about 48 or 50. I believe it is to be taken back-four pounds a day, including all expenses attached Railroad from Lake Erie to the Ohio river, the wards and forwards at a horse a mile. to the coach, wages for engineer, steersman, fuel, signatures of all the members of Congress from Ohio in the city at that time, were procured to an Would your carriage displace along the road four oil, &c. horses on each stage? Two ten-horse engines would What expense is it a mile upon your coach? Japplication to the War Department for an Engineer displace the whole number of horses along the stage. have taken the one hundred miles, and included the to make the necessary surveys the present season. Have you made experiments which enable you to day's expenses. This application thus signed and presented to the answer these questions? I was not at all prepared; Were you ever a stage proprietor yourself? No. Becretary of war has, upon due deliberation at that my principal object has been to ascertain what power Then from your own knowledge you can state department, produced the enclosed result, which I I have to do a certain work. I have paid very little nothing as to the cost of carrying passengers by a trust will be acceptable, and satisfactory to all conattention to horse power. stage coach? No. cerned in that very important improvement. Do you think that your carriage is equivalent to Could you if you were to travel one hundred miles In relation to the annual appropriation mentioned a four-horse carriage on the road, in the number of in ten hours, keep up that rate without damage to in the enclosed report from the department, I have persons it would draw? It is more than equivalent the machinery? Yes, I reckon the work would be only to say, that a bill appropriating 30,000 dollars to it, from the circumstance of its being able to do done in eight hours, but the stoppages and one thing for surveys, passed our house some time ago, and more work. and another will take up two hours. went to the Senate, where I entertain no doubt it will likewise pass. I have the honor to be your very JOHN THOMPSON. obedient servant, Supposing you have to run seven miles, how many passengers could you carry at your speed? Four. teen. Extract from Mr. Telford's Report on the state of E. POTTER, Esq. Chairman. Department of War, May 29, 1832. Supposing that a coach of four horses were to run that seven miles, how many passengers would it the machine invented by my assistant, Mr. Macneill, SIR-In regard to the application which has been (for measuring the force of traction, or the labor of made to this department for an officer to survey a take? It would carry the same number. What weight, upon a dead level, will set your car. horses in drawing carriages,) completed, and also to route for a Railroad from Lake Erie to the Ohio riage in motion on the road if you were to attach a have the several districts of the Holyhead road in river, I have the honor to transmit to you a copy rope to the pole, and suspend that rope over a pulley, England tried by it, Mr. Macneill hasdone so, and of a report thereon by Colonel Albert favorable to and attach a weight to it, what weight will set your prepared a statement showing the results of the tri-the measure, in which I concur. I have the honor carriage in motion? It is an experiment I never als between London and Shrewsbury, a distance of to be very respectfully your obedient servant. LEW. CASS. tried, and I am not prepared to answer. Hon. JOHN THOMPSON, H. of R. Topographical Bureau, May 30, 1832. Hon. LEWIS CASs, Secretary of War: Do you know what, if you ware to set your car. riage on an inclined plane, is the inclination that will set it moving? No, that is not a thing which I have tried. Do all the wheels follow in the same track? Yes, they do. Have you ever tried your carriage up hill on an inclination? Yes, I have, repeatedly. Do you find an increased difficulty in proportion to the length of the inclination? No, we go much slower; but we never find any difficulty. 153 1.4 miles. The general results of these experiments 4. On a broken stone road upon a rough 5. On a broken stone surface upon a rough bettoming of concrete, formed of Parker's cement and gravel on dif 65 147 46 46 SIR-In relation to an application from the Ohio delegation, submitted by the Honorable Mr. Thompson and referred by your order to this Bureau, I have to report: The application is for an engineer to survey a route for a Railroad from Lake Erie, within the limits of the counties of Geauga and Ashtabula, to the Ohio river, within the limits of the county of Have you ever found your wheels slip? No, ex- The general results of experiments made with a cepting once on the City Road, at the time when the stage coach,t on the same piece of road, on differ. Columbiana. This route will effect the shortest frost was on the road; it was quite slippery; and ent inclinations, and at different rates of velocity, connection between the river and the Lake, and then, for an experiment, I tried to see if I could are given, from which the following statement has from previous surveys made in that direction for run up the Pentonville Hill with one wheel only; been calculated :and I did, but it was with some difficulty towards Rates of inclination. the top. If I had propelled by the two wheels, there would have been none. Have you found at what inclination in a frost the wheels will begin to turn? I never witnessed such a thing. Are you aware that such a thing will occur?Yes; but I think there are no hills which are to be found, upon which horses travel, but what a coach would propel itself up. Have you ever seen your carriage get into a deep rut? Yes. In such a case what generally happens? If it is a single wheel, it may go round two or three times; if I have two wheels, it is improbable I should get inte such a situation. Do you find peculiar states of the roads upon which you travel more disadvantageous than others, to the progress of your carriage? Yes. 1 in 40 6666 Force required. 1 in 20 Rates of traveling. 6 miles per hour. 1 in 30 1 in 600 1 in 600 10 Having the results of these accurate trials to refer Which do you find the most disadvantageous ? to, leaves it no longer a matter of conjecture in what When the roads are between wet and dry. manner a road should be made to accomplish, most In going down a hill, are you obliged to lock your effectually, the main objeet, that is, diminishing, to wheel in any way? Yes, if it is much down hill; the greatest possible degree, the labor of horses in it depends upon its inclination. draught. What is the nature of the provision for locking Although the observations of scientific persons the wheel? A metalic band, bearing upon the outer have led to nearly similar conclusions, others have part of the wheel. been in the habit of laying down rules for road ma. What are the fares that you take, higher or lower king at variance with all the established laws of mothan ordinary stages? They are the same fares as tion; it is satisfactory to be able to produce a posithe stages' fares; eight-pence from Bow, and nine- tive proof by actual experiment, of their opinions being wholly erroneous. pence from Stratford. How much is that a mile? Barely two-pence a In this view, I consider Mr. Macneill's invention, mile. for practical purposes on a large scale, one of the In what proportion to what is charged by stage most valuable that has been lately given to the coaches do you think you should be able to charge public. your fares? I think the fares would be reduced to two-thirds, after a short time, if supported, and not overburthened by tolls. Should you be able to continue running if the fares were reduced to two-thirds? Yes. In your present state of knowledge upon this subject, in what proportion do you think the rate of I have stated of two-thirds. * In making these experiments, a wagon, weighing about 21 cwt. was used, Weight of coach exclusive of seven passengers, 18 cwt. ERIE AND OHIO RAILROAD.-We are gratified to traveling would be diminished? In the proportion be able to give the result of an application to the War Department, so favorable to the wishes of those Is it your opinion, that, generally speaking, it would be reduced two-thirds? Not in the outset, interested in the above contemplated work. This but after the thing has had full play. road it will be recollected is designed to open an other objects, it may be supposed that it will not encounter unusual difficulties; on these accounts the general route for the connection may be considered as judiciously chosen. And when we take into view the waters which will be joined by it, it possesses also a highly national and interesting character. It is therefore respectfully recommended by this Bureau, in case the usual appropriation for surveys should pass, that an engineer should be detailed to make the survey applied for. I have the honor to be, Very respoctfully, Your obodient servant, I. I. ABERT, Lt. Col. T. E. 8 do. List of Vessels cleared from Rondout, with Lackawana Coal, during the week ending on the 16th inst.: For New-York-barge Lackawana, schr Ann Howard, sloops Neptune, Mountaincer, James Russell, Gold Leaf, Stranger, and Judge Swift. For New-Haven-sloop Eronaut. For East Greenwich-sloop Mary Nichols. For Providence-schrs Norfolk Packet, Joseph & Mary, For New Bedford--schr. Gen. Marion. For Boston-brig Gen. Jackson, schrs. Hunter and Louisa. |