Profile Major Works Resources

Charles Ellet, Jr., 1810-1862


American civil engineer and economist.  

Of modest Pennsylvania background, the largely self-educated Charles Ellet Jr went to France and attended the Ecole Nationale de Ponts et Chausees in Paris during 1830-2, where he absorbed the French engineering tradition. His remarkably original theoretical models of railway profit-maximization under monopoly, duopoly, etc., has led him to be hailed as the "American Cournot".  

Ellet's most famous building structures are the suspension bridges in Philadelphia over the Schuylkill River and in Wheeling over the the Ohio River.

Charles Ellet Jr. died during the American Civil War from wounds received at the naval battle of Memphis (commanding ramming ships of his own design).

 

  


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Major Works of Charles Ellet, Jr.

  • An Essay on the Laws of Trade: in reference to the works of internal improvement in the United States, 1839
  • A Popular Exposition of the Incorrectness of the Tariffs of Tolls in Use on the Public Improvements of the United States, 1939 [bk]
  • "A Popular exposition of the incorrectness of the tariffs of toll in use on the public improvements of the United States", 1840, J of Franklin Institute, p.167 
  • "The Laws of Trade applied to the determination of the most advantageous fare for passengers on railroads", 1840, J of Franklin Institute, p.369 [offprint]
  • Exposition of the causes which have conduced the failure of many railroads in the United States, 1841 [bk]
  • "Exposition of the causes which have conduced the failure of many railroads in the United States", 1842, American Railroad Journal (Feb 1) p.78  [reprint of 1841] 
  • "Communications - Causes of failure", 1842, American Railroad Journal (Mar 1), p.131
  • A Popular Notice of Suspension Bridges, with a brief description of the wire bridge across the Schuylkill, at Fairmount, 1843 [bk]
  • "Cost of Transportation on Railroads", 1842-44, J of Franklin Institute:
    • Pt. 1 - "Cost of Transportation of Railroads", (Sep 1842), p.145
    • Pt. 2 - "On the value of gradients" (Oct, 1842)  p.228
    • Pt. 3 - "On the relative values of distance and gradients" (Nov, 1842), p.304
    • Pt. 4 - "On the value of time" (Dec, 1842) p.361
    • Pt. 5 -  (Nov, 1843),  p.316
    • Pt. 6 - "Repairs of engines and cars", (Dec, 1843), p.361
    • Pt. 7 - (Jan, 1844), p.1
    • Pt. 8 - "Wear of iron rails" (Feb, 1844), p.73
  • An Address to the Stockholders of the Schuylkill Navigation Company, in reply to a pamphlet circulated by the Reading Rail Road Company, 1844 [bk]
  • The Reading Railroad Company, 1845 [bk]
  • The Mississippi and Ohio rivers: containing plans for the protection of the delta from inundation, 1853 [av]
  • The Army of the Potomac and its mismanagement, 1861 [bk]
  • Military incapacity, and what it costs the country, 1862 [av]

HET

 

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Resources on Charles Ellet, Jr.

  • "Review of Ellett's Laws of Trade", 1839 American Railroad Journal, p.33
  • "Review of Ellet's Popular Exposition", 1840 American Railroad Journal, p.122
  • "Brief review of Ellet's causes of failure of many railroads", 1842, American Railroad Journal (Jan 1) p. 3
  • "Second review of Ellet's causes of failure of many railroads", 1842, American Railroad Journal (Feb 1) p.65, and reprint p.78 
  • "Failure of Railways: comment on Ellet", 1842, American Railroad Journal (Feb 15) p.98
  • "Failure of Railways: comment on reviews of Ellet" by Z. 1842, American Railroad Journal, (Mar 1), p.144
  • "Failure of Railways: another comment , by Z. 1842 American Railroad Journal, (Apr 15) p.231
  • "Judicious tariff on tolls and freight", 1842 American Railroad Journal, p.290
  • "Remarks on the injudicious policy pursued in the construction and machinery of many railroads in the United States: Review of Ellet", by John C. Trautwin, 1842, J of Franklin Institute, p.307
  • Wikipedia
  • Ellet at  Find a grave.org
  • Ellet's Brigade: the strangest outfit of all, by Chester G. Hearn, 2000 [preview]

 

 
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