AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL, AND ADVOCATE OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT NO. 132 NASSAU STREET, NEW-YORK, AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM, PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. Nott's improvements in the use of Anthra. The economy of the various parts of [VOLUME V.-No. 25. On the return of the boat on Saturday Baltimore 8 5 9 15 Cocksackie 9 43 Hudson 10 15 10 34 11 21 11 38 11 58 12 36 We have frequently desired to refer more boats consumes 30 to 40 cords per day? et in the river-strong N. E. wind. Hr time We have not been in the habit of considering our forests as other than inexhaustible, but such is the state of things no longer, and we hear complaints from every quarter. Indeed no one could witness the enthusiasm with which the success of the experimen was hailed in every place and at Albany in particular, without being convinced that the substitution of coal for wood has been made not one day too soon. We had the pleasure of being of the party to Albany last week in this beautiful boat. Seldom has it fallen to our lot to make a more pleasant trip. The perfect feeling of security combined with the consciousness of the boat's great speed produced in us a sensation of pleasure as agreeable as unusual. The Novelty is 252 feet long-certainly our longest boat and we think the largest in the world-her engines are horizontal-two large ones, and a small one for blowing the fire, pumping, &c. The grates are on the principle of Dr. was as follows: Catskill Arrived at New-York 12 58 2 (ost 1 2 1 52 2 20 2 54 4 35 5 53 Below Poughkeepsie, came in sight of the morning boat, the Champlain, she having left Albany at 7 o'clock, making her usual landings. She came into the wharf about a mile, or, ahead of the Novelty. From Newburgh down to New York, dense volumes of smoke issued from all four pipes of the Champlain,proving the enormous consump tion of fuel; while we feel it our duty to say, that no strain whatever was upon the Novelty-she going at such a rate as is entirely practicable every day. No coal was put into the furnaces for the last thirty miles on either trip; and while the other boat was smoking furiously, the firemen of the Novelty were upon the front deck cooling themselves, and rejoicing in their light work. They, at least prefer coal to wood. Speed is certainly desirable, and we were agreeably surprised to find this boat move with such rapidity on a first voyage, when every thing must be new to the hands, having never before used such fuel; whereas, could we desire a more safe mode of con in the ordinary engines, the practice of ma-dance of good timber, bituminous coal, lime|| way connected with the prosperity of Inny years is extended to their benefit. But stone, free stone and hydraulic cement in diana. It is proper to remark, however, safety is the all-important object, and never its immediate vicinity. The town is laid that in addition to these, a railroad from out upon a liberal scale, having five squares Indianapolis to Lawrenceburg has been veyance. The terror of a rupture of the reserved for public purposes, and streets of commenced, and is now in progress by all boiler is here unknown. Should a boiler 150, 100, 80 and 60 feet in width according enterprising company under a charter from burst, it would only result in the collapse of to their location. It has already several the State; and numerous others will doubt large wholesale stores and steam mills-less be undertaken by the inhabitants, by & small tube, and put out the fire. and must eventually beyond all question which the state works will be intersected, become a very important place. and connected in various other places, thereby giving to every part of the State those facilities which are essential to the proper developement of its immense resources; and at the same time give to the soil of an infant, and but recently, wilderness state, the value and advantages of an old and thickly settled country. We can add nothing more than to inform our readers, that this boat is commanded by Capt. Seymour, assisted by Capt. Lew. is, so long and creditably known upon the North River; we can answer for the treatment his passengers will receive. RAILROAD CONVENTION. The period for the meeting of the Great Southern Railroad Convention at Knoxville, Tennessee, is at hand. The object of that meeting, viz., the connection of the southern seaboard at Charleston, S. C., with the Ohio at Cincinnati, and probably at Louisville, Ky., is worthy the attention of all the friends of Internal Improvement; and it will, we are sure, be ably advocated by those selected to attend the convention. It was our intention to be at Knoxville during the Convention, but other engagements will prevent; we must therefore rely upon some friend to furnish the proceed. ings at an early day for the Journal. RAILWAY IN ILLINOIS. We give in this number of the Journal a map of Illinois with the principal rivers, towns, and chartered railroads delineated thereon. The object of this map is to give to the people of this eastern section of the country, a better idea of the State of Illi nois, and its progressing, and contemplated improvements, than they now possess and, although it is not as full as we could desire, yet, it will be found of much use to those who contemplate a visit, or removal to that fertile region. We have not the necessary documents before us, to go into a full, or general description of the various improvements laid down on this map, yet we cannot permit the opportunity to pass without calling attention to one or two of them, and we will commence by referring to No. 1, the National road which is now in progress as far as Vandalia. An Eng neer is engaged in surveying the route from thence to Jefferson city, crossing the Mississippi river at Alton; there is no doubt but that it will be continued, at least to that point. The railroad from Alton to Springfield has been surveyed, the company organized and measures adopted for an early and ef ficient prosecution of the work. It will be connected with other roads, particularly that leading from Springfield to Danville through Decatur--and another from Spring field through Jacksonville to Meredosia, on the Illinois, and Quincy on the Mississippi rivers, both of which are chartered and the stock of the latter we understand is taken. 4. Rail Road from Danville to Springfield by Decatur, 110 miles, already chartered. This road, when completed, will connect Alton with Danville. 5. Rail Road from Springfield to Quincy 7. Rail Road from Grafton to Springfield Road at Auburn. 9. Rail Road from Alton to Mount Carmel on the Wabash. Chartered. 150 miles. 10. Rail Road from Alton to Shawnee town. Chartered. Distance, 150 miles. 11. Rail Road from Galena to Ottawa (or the termination of the canal,) and thence to the mouth of the Ohio. Chartered. Intersects the Alton and Shawnee town Rail Road, and connects Alton with the mouth of the Ohio. 12. Canal from Chicago to Ottawa, 95 miles. Commenced this year. This canal is to be 36 feet wide at bottom, 60 at its surface and 6 feet deep-It should be eighty feet wide and eight feet deep, with Locks of sufficient dimensions to admit the passage of Steam Boats; and it will have to be enlarged to those dimensions within ten years. 13. Rail Road from Danville to La Fayette, proposed by Indiana. At La Fayette the Wabash and Maumee terminates. From La Fayette Rail Roads are 2, and 3. The road from Alton, on projected by Indiana to Evansville, and the Mississippi, to Springfield, in Saga- through Indianapolis to New Albany, Madmonn county. Alton is a very flouish-ison, and Lawrenceburg on the Ohio Riving town-city we shall have soon to er, and from Lawrenceburg a Rail Road say-situated about 2 miles above the is to be made to Cincinnati, connecting mouth of the Missouri, and eighteen miles Alton with all these places. below the mouth of the Illinois rivers. Al- The preceding brief description of the ton is said to have the best steam-boat several improvements which were authorlanding on the east bank of the Mississip-ized, and undertaken on the part of the pi, having a natural wharf of rock, of a State, by the law of last Session of the Le convenient heighth and level surface. The gislature, and which are therefore properly Penitentiary is located there, and there are included in what is termed the state sys many who think it will yet become the tem of internal improvement, will be found pitol of the State. There is an abun-highly interesting to those who are in any INDIANA.-INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS, &c. We have been furnished with documen 8 which enable us to lay before our readers the following facts, referring to the map. They give the reader a better idea of those works than we have before been able to furnish. The system of public works authorized by the act of the last Legislature, authorising the loan of ten millions of dollars, embraces the following described routes, which will be bet er understood by an examination of the map of t..e State, of which a copy may be seen at our office, or of the accompanying map of Illinois and Indiana together. 1st. The Wabash and Erie Canal.-This improvement is decidedly the most important one in the State. It commences at the head of steamboat navigation, on the Maume river, which empties into Lake Erie at its extreme western point, and follows up the valley of that river to Fort Wayne, and down the Wabash to La Fayefte, thence to Terre Haut, and Evansville, on the Ohio river, and may indeed be called the basis or main trunk of the system, inasmuch as all the other lines are designed to connect with it, and will find their outlet to a northern market through this channel. Besides affording an outlet to market for half the State of Indiana, it will also form, when extended to the Olio, one of the principal channels of trace between Lake Erie and the western and south western states. Additional importance is given to the work from the fact that a Railroad is about to be commepced at Alton, Illinois, near the mouth of the Missouri, which is designed to intersect the Wabash and Erie Canal at Covington, or La Fayette; passing across the entire state of Illinois, and thus open the most direct route from New York to St. Louis, and the whole south western country. This canal was authorized some years ago as far west as the mouth of the Tippacanoe, the point to which steamboats can ascend during high water; the work has been for some time in progress, and within the present season 65 miles will be navigable. But the navigation of the Wabash river, though highly important to the country, is believed to be entirely inadequate to the increasing commerce of this route, especially if the transit trade be taken into the account. The improvement of the river for steamboat navigation has been suggested, but owing to the very sandy PAMBOUR ΟΝ LOCOMOTION. character of its bed from the Tippacanoe to|| Canal; crossing, as it does at the seat of the beautiful and fertile valies of the Elk the rapids, any valuable improvement of the Government, both the central canal and hart and the Big St. Joseph to Michigan navigation is supposed to be impracticable. the national road, it will receive the tra- city. The law directs the connexion to be Under these circumstances it was consid-vellers which these works will concentrate formed by canal, if found practicable, and if ered highly interesting and important to the at that point, and convey them in five hours not, by railroad. country, that when during the examinations to the Ohio. The constant intercourse of last year, it was ascertained to be entire- which must ever be maintained by busi ly practicable to extend the canal down the ness men and others, in the interior, with Wabash river to Terre Haute, the point the Ohio River, will, it is believed, cause where the national road crosses, and thence sufficient travelling to sustain this road. across the country in a southeasterly direc- Some of the products of the state will tion, intersecting the Central Canal in doubtless be conveyed to market on the Green County, through which canal it will road, though for those of a heavy and bulky be connected with the Ohio river at Evans-nature, which may be raised near the cenville. The law contemplates this extension tre of the state, it is supposed that the canal and connection. The whole length of the will afford the cheapest conveyance, and canal from the east line of the State to its therefore be preferred. The merchandise junction with the Central Canal will be designed for the interior, especially that about 270 miles, from thence to the Ohio which may be brought down the Ohio, river about 110 miles, and the whole dis- will be conveyed on this road, and will form a source of considerable revenue. СНАРТER VI. § 3. Experiments on the Effects of the Lead. The foregoing calculation gives us the loss of power produced in the engine in consequence of the lead. However, no research having as yet been made on the subject, every thing is at presert regulated by opinion alone. There are some engine builders that give no lead tance from Lake Erie to the Ohio river by The length of the road will be about 160 at all; others only, or in. at most; this route is about 460 miles. miles. 2d. The Central Canal.-This improve- northern and southern market. It will di- canal will be about 290 miles. others, on the contrary, give in. or more. Although the lead, if moderately used undoubtedly facilitates the working of the engine, it is also evident, that if carried too far, it must at last stop its effect. For that reason, we resolved to undertake some experiments on the subject. In our research, we first made use of the LEEDS engine, and we made the three experiments of the 15th of August, related trade and intercourse, both to the north above (Chap. V. Art. VII. § 1); the first and south, for a large district of the state, with a lead of in.; the second with no lead; embracing several fertile and well-improved and the third, with a lead of in. But counties. The route of this road, cross- as the change in the load, in the pressure, ing as it does the main vallies and ridges and in the inclination of the road, caused It is proper to remark here that about of the state, is so undulating as to render naturally much complication in the results, 110 miles of this route, next to the Ohio, it questionable whether a railroad or Mac- we soon gave up that engine, and took in its will be common both to the Central and adamized road would be most beneficial to place the VESTA. An ingenious apparatus, the Wabash and Erie Canals, inasmuch as the country. The law gives the preference invented by Mr. J. Gray, of Liverpool, and it will form the outlet for both. It will be to a railroad, and directs further examina- fixed to this engine, made it easy to change perceived also, that these canals will form tions and surveys for this mode of improve the lead without interrupting the journey; a perfect water communication between ment; but if, after full investigation, the so that, with the same load, and on the same Lake Erie and the Ohio river at Evansville Board of Intetna! Improvement should find spot, the engine could be tried successively by two different routes, after it passes Fort the country too hilly for a railroad, they with different leads. This effect was proWayne, one passing down the valley of the are, in that case, directed to construct a duced by means of three notches, placed Wabash, and the other through the valley Macadamized road. The road will be more or less backward on the eccentric, of the Mississinewa and White river, pass-about 158 miles in length. and on which the driver might be brought at ing the seat of government at Indianapolis 6. The new Albany and Vincennes Mac- will, by means of the common catching These canals will open a mine of far more adamized Road. This improvement will lever. The first of these notches value to Indiana than mines of gold. connect the Ohio River at New Albany lead of in., the second of in., and the 3d. The White water Canal.-The chief (near Louisville) with the Wabash River last corresponded with a lead oi in. To object of this improvement is to convey to at Vincennes, crossing the central canal. make the difference more remarkable, we market the surplus agricultural productions The route being transverse to the main endeavored to obtain a comparrison between of a very fertile and well cultivatad district rallies which drain the country, and con- the first and the third of these positions of of country. It commences at the national sequently very undulating, a Macadamized the slide. road in Wayne county near the east line of road was thought to be more beneficial to the State, and passes down the White water the country than a railroad with such exvalley to Lawrenceburgh on the Ohio river, treme ascents and decents. The course a distance of 76 miles. It is however pro- cf this road has long been the main route vided in the bill, that the north end of this for travellers who pass by land from Kencanal shall at some future day be connect- ucky, or the southern states, into Illinois ed with the Central canal in Delaware or Missouri. It is believed, therefore, that county, thus making another connection be- besides subserving the interest and wants tween the Ohio river and Lake Erie, through of the country through which it passes, it the White water, the Central, and the Wa- will also be important to the country as a bash and Erie canals. This connection is general thoroughfare. The road will be required to be canal if that mode be prac-about 104 miles in length. ticable, but if not, by a Railroad. 7. The Michigan and Erie Canal or 4. The Madison and Lafayette Railroad. Railroad. This improvement is designed -This work commences at the town of to complete the connection between the Madison, on the Ohio, and extends through south end of Lake Michigan and the west the rich country drained by the east fork end of Lake Erie. The work will unite of White River to Indianapolis, and thence with the Wabsah and Erie Canal, near to Lafayette on the Wabash and Erie Fort Wayne, and extend thence through gave a The reader will recollect that the VESTA engine has the following proportions:Cylinders 11 in. 16 in. 5 ft. Stroke of the piston I. On the 16th of August 1834, arriving with the engine and a train of 20 wagons at the foot of the inclined plane of Whiston, the inclination of which is, all the train was taken off except the seven first wagons, weighing together 34.43 t., and with the tender, 39.93 t. ; and the engine endeavored to ascend the plane with that load, The lead was first regulated at in. Arrived at the foot of the plane with an acquired velocity of 10 miles an hour, the engine continued its motion for some time, but slackened visibly; and, after having travel led mile, it stopped; the pressure being $ 23 lbs, by the balance. The lead was reduced to in. The engine set off again, and reached the top of the plane with a velocity of 14 complete strokes of the piston per minute, the pressure by the balance being reduced to 23 lbs. II. In the evening of the same day, the engine having taken to the same place a train of eight loaded wagons, and 12 empty ones, the eight wagons alone were left attached, their aggregate weight being 27.05t., and with the tender, 32,05 t. With that load it began the ascent of the plane with an acquired speed of 10 miles an hour. Lead, in. The engine arrived at the top without stepping. Pressure at the ballance, 23 lbs. Velocity, 46 complete strokes of the piston per minute. III. The engine having returned to the bottom with the same eight wagons, six empty ones were attached behind them, making with the loaded wagons a total weight of 43.18 t., and tender included, 48.18 t. This load was too much for the engine, even with its smallest lead. Pressure, 23 lbs. Two of the empty wagons were taken off. IV. The engine then drew a train of eight loaded wagons and four empty ones, making together a weight of 34.05 t., and tender included, 39.05 t. A lead of in. was given; the engine was unable to start on the plane. The lead was reduced to in.; the engine started, and augmented gradually its velocity, giving successively 11 strokes of the piston per minute; then 11 again, then 14, and then 17. The lead was once more tried at in.; the engine stopped again. The lead of in. was resumed; the train started again. Pressure during the whole experiment, 23 lbs. by the balance. V. The train continuing to ascend, two more empty wagons were taken off; there remained then, in all, eight loaded and two empty ones, weighing together 30.38 t., and with the tender, 35.38t. Lead, in. The engine stops; pressure, 23 lbs. by the balance. Lead, in. It starts again; same pres sure. And with a lead of in., it will be able to ||periment, the consumption of water and coke must have made it descend conside rably below that weight, though we had no possibility of weighing the tender, and consequently we could not take the difference into account. We have said, that when the tender is quite empty, its weight is no more than three tons, which upon a level is two tons less than we reckon here, and makes on the inclined plane at, a reduction of eight tons in the load. We may consequently conclude from experience, as well as from theory, that the decrease of power occasioned by the lead is in proportion to the resulting decrease in the useful length of the stroke of the piston. §. 5. A Practical Table of the Effects of The reader will recollect that in these for draw a load weighing, without the tender, mulæ the signs have the following signifi34.05 t. Thus comparing the useful effects of the engine in the two cases, we see that they. are in the proportion of 4 to 5, which constitutes in practice a considerable advantage in favor of the smallest lead. cations: 1, length of the stroke of the piston expressed in feet. a, lead of the slide. l' length of the range of the slide. r, lap of the slide over the apertures of the cylinder. In order, however, to obtain an absolute measure of the power an engine is able to calculate the total resistance that was opdisplay in the two circumstances, we must posed to the motion of the piston in each rently expressed in feet or in inches, the case. Lead, in. The engine stops; pressure, 23 lbs. by the balance. In the first, the engine drew a load, tender included, of 32.05 t. on an inclination of Lead, in. It starts again, and reaches. On account of the gravity of the mass the top, although, in consequence of the on the plane, including 8.71 t. for the weight length of the experiment, the pressure di- of the engine, the train was equal, on a level, minishes by degrees from 23 to 211⁄2 lbs. by to a load of 160 t. the balance. The engine executed thus, at 21 lbs. pressure, what, with a lead of in., it could not execute with a pressure of 23 lbs. In the second case the engine drew on the same inclination a train of 39.05 t., equal to a load of 189 t. on a level. We see that these numbers agree very nealry with those deduced from calulation. This series of experiments gives us very If those given by the experiment seem to nearly the exact measure of the power of be a little larger, the reason is because we the engine in both cases, or the loss of pow-reckon the tender at an invariable weight of er resulting from the difference in the lead. five tons,-whereas, during this long ex These three last quantities may be indiffe equations containing only their ratio. Applying, then, these formulæ to a series of different cases, we form the following table, which will show, at a glance, how the velocity increases when the lead is augmented. As, on the other hand, in the second column, we could not go beyond the load the engine is capable of drawing with its supposed lead, the same table also shows what diminution in the maximum load corresponds to that increase in velocity. It is with a view to make the comparison between these two effects more conspicuous, that we have extended the table further than the importance of the subject seems otherwise to require. |