The Iron Business—Great losses appear to have been incurred by railroad contractors in all parts of the country in consequence of the extraordinary rise in iron. Railroad iron which, in the spring of 1851, was £4 5s. per ton, has now risen to £8; and other kinds of iron partook of the advance.—This advance is attributed, first, to the re-action from a long continued depression; second, from the expansion of the currency Californian and Australian gold which has quickened and expanded the business of the world; and third, by the growing dearness of labour in England consequent upon a loss of population by emigration. The Pittsburgh Post: says, "some of our men have made independent fortunes by the recent rise in pig metal. We have heard of gentlemen who have made by the advance $25,000, others $50,000, others $100,000, others $150,000, and so on.—Boston Transcript.
The Trunk Railway.
A writer in the Colonist, over the signature of "Seuex," complains of our statement, that the Trunk Railway contract with Mr. Jackson is for £10,130 currency per mile, and alleges that the sum agreed upon is only £9,495 per mile. He is mistaken, as the following figures will show:—
Sum agreed upon in sterling £7,635 Add one-fourth to make currency 1,895 Add 16 per cent, the current premium on £3,750 currency per mile of Provincial debentures 600 Total £10,130 "Seuex" justifies the large price promised to Mr. Jackson, on the score of the expensive bridges to be be constructed. He says:—
"I happen to know that the main cause why the Trunk Railway costs so much per mile is, the great extent of expensive bridging required on the line.—being, taken in all, about five miles and a half. Some of them will cost large sums of money, as, for instance, that over the Ottawa alone, which it is estimated will cost about £100,000."
Very true,—the bridging will be costly. But does "Seuex" "happen to know" the sum at which Mr. Jackson estimates the whole five and a half miles of iron bridges? At precisely £262,500, or about £750 per mile. Now admitting the Messrs. Gzowksi and Keefer under-estimated the cost of bridging—nay, that they forgot it altogether in the official surveys and estimates to which their professional characters stand pledged—what is there in this please, to justify the payment of £10,130 for work which competent engineers have declared only £5,000, and Mr. Hincks endorsed as a "safe estimate" at that? Five hundred pounds of extra bridging will not justify the payment of five thousand pounds. How is value to be given for the rest of the money?
"Seuex" endeavours to establish a comparison between the Toronto and Guelph Road and the one leased to Mr. Jackson. He says the price on the former route is £7,408 currency per mile, without land and stations.
In the first place, there is no possibility of establishing a comparison between the two roads—the Jackson Road is the easiest of construction perhaps in America, while the Guelph Road is by far the most difficult in Canada. And in the second place, notwithstanding the greater difficulty of the work, the Guelph Road will be made nearly two thousand pounds per mile cheaper than the Jackson one.
As "Seuex" seems to be candid and our contemporary the Colonist shows by publishing his letter, that he does not appreciate the full extent of the Jackson job, we have departed from our rule as to disregarding anonymous letters.
Ref:
Serious Accident.—On the morning of the 30th ult., Wm. Hay, a carpenter on the Grand River bridge of the Great Western Railway, near Paris, fell from a height of 57 feet and lighted among a quantity of wood blocks. A little snow had fallen the same morning, which rendered the timers slippery and unsafe to walk upon. On being taken up, it was found that he had received a sever compound fracture on the left leg and right arm, with two deep flesh cuts on his neck and chin, and sundry other bruises, Shortly afterwards he frequently vomited blood, and fears were entertained that recovery was impossible. Dr. M'Cosh, the medical attendant is, however, sanguine that this patient will do well.—Paris Star.
Ref:
Engineer's Office,
Ontario, Simcoe & Huron Railroad Company.
Tenders will be received at this Office, on Wednesday, the 19th instant, for the undermentioned works:
First. For the furnishing Timber, and the construction of Wharves at Toronto.
Second. For erection of Freight Depots on the same.
Third. For the erection of Way Station Buildings at
- Thornhill [Concord] Station;
- Richmond Hill [Maple] do.;
- Machell's Village [Aurora] do.;
- Newmarket do.;
- Holland Landing do.;
- Innisfill [Lefroy] do.; and
- Barrie [Allandale].
Plans and Specifications may be seen, and full information obtained, at this office, on and after the 12th instant.
Tenders to be addressed to the Chief Engineer and endorsed.
Toronto, 11th January, 1853.
Appears through Thursday, January 20, 1853.
Ref: Allandale, Aurora, Concord, Holland Landing, Lefroy, Maple, Newmarket