Show TRACTION ENGINES FOR DESERT REGIONS more economical transportation facilities for mining districts situated far from railroad conveniences is a subject that always appeals to the mine manager and operator quite a number of camps in this intermountain region rich in their mineral resources are practically unproductive because of the excessive and prohibitive cost of moving the product of the mines to the railroad and these camps with adequate and reasonable transportation facilities would soon spring into prominence as prolific producers of mineral wealth the subject of transportation to several of such outlying districts has been generally discussed in mining circles the colorado iron fuel company operating in grand county utah is using a traction engine to transport its manganese ores from its mines to little grande station on the R 6 W road fourteen miles distant and it is stated that this method of transportation por tation is entirely successful as well as economical for sometime past the deep creek committee of salt lake city has been considering the subject of traction engines of automobiles for the great deep creek region in the western portion of the state but although some time has elapsed since the committee was instructed to make an investigation into this important subject no report has yet been made As a general thing the wagon roads over the mighty deserts to distant camps are good throughout the year so that by means of the traction engine might be successfully and profitably maintained even now it is claimed manufacturers of traction engines are making investigations looking towards the establishment of traction lines from nevada camps to points on the san pedro lines soon to connect salt lake with los angeles and the american of sumpter oregon in commenting on this proposition says traction engines on roads accessible to other motive power than the mule command wider attention each year As auxiliary to railway lines they promise much especially to mining districts where the inducements for railways are confined and uncertain the manufacturer of a traction engine and equipment in new york is visiting a utah mining district tributary to the san pedro los angeles line with the purpose of putting into commission an engine said to be able to haul tons of ore miles in twenty four hours if the roads are fair this work is estimated to be equivalent to that possible by 1200 mules managed by drivers placing the cost of the mules at 1 each per day of twelve hours and the wages of the men at the minimum of 2 this man and mule equipment dispensed with would aggregate 1600 per twenty four hours two shifts would be required for the traction engine the number of men necessary to handle the engine and cars is not indicated but probably would not exceed an engineer fireman and tender the average wage of whom should not exceed 3 per shift or 18 per day of twenty four hours these figures leave a great margin on the side of the engine to provide a sinking fund to pay for the outfit and furnish fuel such experiments as that being made in utah where promise of this enormous saving is given warrant careful study of the i mine operators of our district where trans por tation is the I 1 most serious problem contended with horse feed in the mountains is excessively high while fuel for an engine is low an average of the cost to transport freight by teams in the mountains is about 25 cents per ton per mile this being based upon usual conditions of topography if traction engines are available this cost should be reduced far more than half even where the very promising results assured by the new york manufacturers are not attained |