The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-01-21
RAIL ROADS.

of the Engineers employed to survey routes for
Rail Road from Boston to Providence, and
from Bos ton to Albany, was laid before the
Legislature on the 10th inst We have made
the foil owing abridgement from an article in
the Be ,ston Advertiser relating to the survey on
the Al lbany routel
The Report of the Directors begins by
iscribing the kind of Rail Road, which is
recommended. 1t proceeds to give some
calculations of the degree of power which
will be necessary, on such Rail Road, to
move loads of given weight, on a level.
and on the various degrees of inclination.
Some remarks are then made to show in
what degree the high grounds to be passed
in the Western route, present an obstacle
to the moving Of loads, on the most favorable
line which can be selected for the Road,
and some explanation of the modes by which
this obstacle may be surmounted, The
mode suggested as the most natural and
evidently practicable, is that of laying out
the Road, on the line of the most gradual
inclination which can be selected, at the
expense Of some increase of distance, and
employing on all the higher inclinations an
additional number of horses, to those re-
CURED on the more level parts of the Road.
The greatest inclination on any part of the
llIC surveyor HUH DOSIOH " <llUO-
ny, is at the rate of so feet to the mile, re-
curing on the steepest parts double the
number of horses to move a given load,
which are required on the more level parts !;
and the length. of the line is 1913 miles. or
about an eighth part longer than the short
est Road now travelled. The other mode
suggested, is that of adopting a course more
direct, and applying water power, or other
stationary power on inclined planes, to be
formed on the steepest inclinations. The
former mode has been adopted as that on
which all the present estimates have been
made.
The Report proceeds to describe the
route which is selected by the Directors as
most eligible,for Rail Road from Boston
to the Hudson River, presenting the most
favorable surface for a Road, and suited to
accommodate the greatest population and
business. This route passes through Wor-
cester and Springfield, and terminates at
Albany. The distance is 1913 miles, of
which l3 miles are level, and in travelling
towards Albany 941 miles are descending,
All miles have an ascent not exceeding 26
feet per mile, IS miles have an ascent of
different rates from &c to SO feet per mile,
and the remaining "a miles, an ascent of 50
to 30 feet per mile. In travelling from Al
bany to Boston, 904 miles are descending,
45! ascending not more than 26 feet per
mile, 2l4 ascending from % to 50 feet per
mile, and pa miles from 50 to so feet.
Eight tons net weight. are considered an
average load for a single horse on the level
.parts, and parts ascending not over 26 feet per
mile, travelling 10 or 20 miles per days
tons for the parts ascending from % to 50
feet, travelling 10 miles per day ascending,
and returning the same distance and tons
for the parts ascending 50 to so feet, trav-
cling at the rate last mentioned.
1t is estimated that the cost of transpor-
tation exclusive of tolls, for heavy goods
paying the lowest rates of freight, will be
about mills ton, per mile, on the most
level portion of the Road, and an average
OF about l cent ton, per mile, for the whole
distance between Boston and Albany, with
out any assistance from stationary pnw0rs
on the steep Inclinatiens. 1t is shown that
horse power, at the low rate of horse keep
ing in this country, is cheaper than steam
power for locomotive engines in England.
even at the low cost of coal, near the coal
mines in that country.
The line indicated by the surveys already
made, departs from Charles-street, in Bos-
ton, crossing Charles River to Cambridge
port, and again from Cambridgeport to
Brighton. This line proceeds through
Brighton and Newton, to Charles River.
Which it crosses again near the Newton
Lower Falls, crosses the Worcester turn
pike IN Needham, and continues on the
south side of that Road, at short distance
from it to Worcester. 1t proceeds thence
through Leicester and Spencer to the Chick
opee River in Brookield, and thence pur
sues the channel of that river to SPRING
field. Itthere crosses the Connecticut Riv-
er, by wooden bridge, on stone piers.
about a mile north of the present bridge,
proceeds in a nearly direct course on the
north side of West6eld River, to the west
ern part of the town of Westfeld, and
thence along the southern branch of the
river, to the source of its western branch in
: Washington. After crossing the height of
land, which divides the waters of Connecti-
cut River from those of the Housatonic, it
descends by branch of the last named
river to Pittsfield, and proceeds thence
through Richmond to the boundary line of
the State, near the north line of West Stock
bridge. From this point, two lines have
been surveyed to Albany, one by Mr.. Young
OF Albany, under the direction of the Com
missioners of the State of New York, and
the other in the autumn of 1927, under the
direction Of the Commissioners of this State,
blythe present Engineer of this Board. The
distance by the line here described, is 81
miles and 81 chains from Boston to Con-
necticut River, I60 miles and "a chains 70
the border Of the State, and by the shortest
Of the lines surveyed, 1913 miles and chains
to Albany.
Abundant supplies Of excellent stone are
to be found along the line from birmingham
to Palmer, and from Russell to Washing
ton.
According to the estimates, the average
cost per mile. of f1rminr the Road % feet