Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-01-03

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Of the Blue Ridge, ass well as IN tho mountainous
region beyond, will undoubtedly cause this TO he a
crowded thotoughiate, especially when the present
le.ry owe, James river shall have been substituted
~ The reconstruction oil the eompany's bridge.
3. lIeSterH improvement.
The turnpike roads aud the bridges have received.
during the present year. the attention due 10 them,
as constituting the pilnclpal avenue for the oraat
and increasing Intercourse between our own State
aud large portion Of the Western States. The
usual liberal system Of annual repairs has been ap.
Piled with vlgor and effect, oecup,ing N various
modes, the more busy aud active parts OF tho sea.
son, daily ioice Of about sNty hands. No extra
ordinary floods sotms have added TO tho usual los.
ses ol the last ycar The heavy aud great rise
IN the Western streams IN March last passed OH
without esscnalmlufs To an, OF the eompan, works.
Butu addition 10 the cnmplet ION Of portion of work
lc Unfinished AT the end OF las year, the defects OF
the old masonry aud the della lnlatons OF tune have
rendered II unavoidable 10 iuent an extraordinary
expenditure III the renewal of BRIDE es-and tn, sci-
sou has brought III It's tram physical obstacles in
other forms To enhance the difficulty aud swell the
expense OF the annual repairs upon the turnpike
roads.
AT the close OF last year, only the two upper htdg-
rs over Dnuaps creek having been finished aud the
1olmer force having been dismissed force Of
Sin black men, hned by the manager, placed un-
der HE same manager, and enplaycd during the
winter and sptlGg ~ procuring materials and
building the lower bridge over the same creek Nheh
ihcN competed about ne n1iuue al MAY
THIS terminated the business oliepacing the bridges
over llownd's cIeek aud over Dnnlap's creek which
had been swept away lN the 0uad OF May, 1887. hc
mnsonN ii the new b,IdAcs amounted 10 $40 perChrs
x tue >upeIstactulrs IL 5tS feet hncal mrasntc, y
the whole cost ul trir constructions to $1,000. They
finished IN suud aud durable sly c IN every res
pect, aod especially IA punt OF masonry, arc great
Improvement upon The structures which they des-
iined to replace.
Alier tia completion of the lower btidee on Dun.
laps creek, the company o blacks transferred
of the divisions oi tie turnpike road whrre.
IN addition 10 other wolh upon the road. they
occupied Two months III Meetings. meadow
III building SO feet Of new snpeisl,uclure and
stoue abuimenls containing 80 perches Of hammer
ed masonry, Ia Meadow nvef bndge. aud 40 feet OF
new structure aud new stone abnlments. embracing
lie perch,s olio0rh masonry, to the bridge at The
ioot OF Lliuc Suel=-lhe expenditure upon the two
bridges together amounting 10 S46i
From the Other portions OF the road hands the
company has received some valuable reraus aud ad
dlons by new cover, with some new secpcrs, TO
tour brldges tue IiaIs OF taui-, rioo,a!c Il new
bridge oil 80 feet IN Length Wcsllakes.and new
cover, with some ncw seepels To The middle bridge
over Llitle Surl and also, by abutmeut, j.
lccI l'eh, 10 the bndse over Skaggs Hollow, cost
M S)2 >, AID the constitution, IN part OF two
abnlnruts 10 tit hnd&e between Aldet GUS and Nil
lersi tins last work haslng been unavodably left IN
unlrshed state on account Of the advance al the
seasou aud tie styerlly al the weather.
Bnl tn mot lmPpitaol improvements were made
~ So .ataic ptrtY, Consisting ii Il re.al1r bridge
t.ter rueaGed ~ Fcbgn1t} list at iib,fal wages ny
thr mpu,b, viii psry Of h1uds d,st very limited
II uiuter, bat subsequently, euldt&cd In the
course o tic winner aud ping, Lis oninpauy erect
Cd bridge ogeI tas'ue on t'i eubrer HILL, So feel
III rnalh, costing about ia dollars, dollars per
loot, running measure another over DAVIS creek
kanawha county, - feet long. costing. including the
expenses o removal from Gecnbiicr, 3d. ur nearly
SO 5 pr foot, and third IN the Salrnes, 20 feet
long and costing $3.50. About the middle of May
this company was removed to Mud river, aud en-.
ioyed upon the new arch briedc over that stream.
for which collection OF stone TO the amount OF u
1ou $3.50 bad been made al the commencement OF
the ytar, which augmented by a small party Of
hands IN the course oI the Spring. This bridge has
single azch Of $50 fset, is rooted and weatherboard
ed. and Is sustai ed by abutmrns Of hcwn stone. one
OF hlch IS l6 aud the other % feet high; the two
together containing upwards of $50 percles of the
first order OF diy masonry. The force employed on
the masonry and spetslractnrc al tins point from The
middle OF May to the first oi August may br comput-
cd at 20 baud with the rrqul itc teams. The entire job
is neatly and substantially executed, aud docs much
ctcditto the line If Improvement. The cost OF this
woth cannot, at this time, he stated With accuracy;
hut. notwithstanding the high prices Of the year,
will not by the estimate of the Agent, exceed 900.
Allcr finishing tho Mud river Bridge the manager
and his company erected one over Wuchefs creek
about 10 fec, long, at cost Of about 81 IS pen
foot; upon the completion of which, they were dis
charged,
in addition TO what has already been stated,
new bal &c, 1870 feet long al the lower crossing OF
Howmd's eieea, WAS put under contract by the agent
at The pncr of $500 ID far advanced to
be rassable, but not entirely finished the month
OF November drew towards close.
During the past and present season7, eight bridges
between Covlneton and II ckmlns, which, with the
exception of sh IT Al Bunecrs mill, oorsutc
the whole uumfer upon that part OF tie line have all
been entirely renewed in Their supcistructuics and
IN their masonry, save only the abulments Of the
lower bridge over llor!ard's creek.
Such considerable expenditures within two years
in rebuilding the defective masonry Transferred by
the State to the present company, would of Itself
have made heavy draft upouth the income oil the road
but this diall has been rendered stii heavy by
tie increased Euce OF labor aud materials, which
lone have made differ euce OF - per ccntum
in the cost Of work executed during the pre-
sent season. ! he money expended bridges du-
rng lbr present and past seasons, exceeds the
OF all the rrpalts,
In consequence Of the improvements made Of late.
and ol the necessity of such burhcusouIe expenses
IN the bridges tie road was divided tins year into on
~ four sections, upon each Of which company,
consisting OF from nine 10 twelve labofets with fur
yoke OF cattle, was placed.
The operations were opened upon the thee West
crcn sections on the lSih April; but were com
menced upon the Eastern section until some time IN
the following month"; IN cons quence oil the unfnish-
ed work the lower bridge Dunlaps creek
These operations were much retarded by tie rains
ia the month OF May, and were rendered excessively
difficult and oppressive by the intensity Of the
drought al a more advanced part of the year. The
repairs Notwithstanding, which have been made du-
ring the present season. have bee heavy; especially