Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-01-07
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
JAMES RIVER AND KANAWHA COMPANY.
ANNUAL REPORT.
coNTiNutp.
Ill. WrsTNRN SunyEvs

formity IL the pledge given, in the last Annual Re-
port, tho Board of Directors has caused accurate
survey and estimate 10 be made the course OF the
present year, and ofthe whole OF the Western per
ton oil tho Companys proposed line OF improve
ment.
With view TO ensure the timely compile
ton Of this important work. the Board oi Directors
in the month OF January last, adopted resolutions
See App. directing surveys aud estimates OF cost
TO be made OF the line OF canal from tho Eastern ter
mnation Of the Blue Ridge Canal To the town Of
Covington; OF the Railroad from Cov,ngton to tho
kanawha rlver and Of the proposed improvement
Tor steamboat Navigation on the latter stream; aud
prescribing. that, in addition to such other routes
might be deemed advisable, the following surveys
and examinations with reference To the location OF
the railroad. should be made VIZ
l. A survey of the l,us between Covington and
the Falls OF kanawha by way Of Dunlaps creek,
Forkrun, Howard's creek Grecnbrlcr river and New
river.
9. A survey of the line by the way of the South
fork OF Dunlap's creek. Indian creek and New rlyer
,. survey of the line down second creek from
the point where the last mentioned line crosses The
same to Greenbricr nyer.
4. Examinations OF the best line leading from the
Valley OF Geenbricr ,ver tho way OF its principal
tributaries 10 Gauley river.
In pursuance of tho authority given, nm addition
was subsequently made TO the amount OF prescribed
enquiries by extending the line OF the canal survey
and estimate to the Eastward, as To embrace and
tween l.yuchburg and the Ridge; by u survey up
Potts creek from its mouth towards the pass OF the
Allegheny at the head of that creek and by an Gu
enlargement OF the upper survey between Greenbficf
and Gauley rivers, so as TO extend that line from ats
Western extremity tho mouth OF the latter river,
aud from It's Eastern extremity, by the way Of An
thongs and Big Ogleys creeks, over 10 a
point on Dunap's creek "A miles above the town Of
Covington.
In performance ofihis heavy undertaking aurhori-
~ was given to employ as many rs iourparlcs;
but the whole work will be cxcculcdby three, at an
aggregate cost to the company of between Is aud
$4,000 dollars trivial amount when compared
with the great value Of the information resulting
from the expenditure (Sec App. g.
OF the three parties engaged in Ike work, Que WIS
conducted by +. II. Gill, who executed the survey
and estimate OF the water parts OF the line beginning
with the survey from Lynchburg to Covlng,on. on
the Sd April and completing it on the lst July; pro
cceding thence to the survey Of the kanawha river,
which he commenced On the 10th and finished on
the 3lst August, and afterwards closing his opera
ions in the field by the survey OF route fora railroad
between the Great Falls of the Kanawha and the
town Of Char,eston, which he performed between the
10Th and Goth Of September; the surveys and est
mates made by him in the whole term OF % days
covering an extent Of 264 Sd miles.
A second party was conducted by David Il. llar-
ris who executed the three frst surveys specified in
tho resolution OF The Board of Directors, which ne
commenced at the town Of Coving on, on the 9th
MAY, and completed at the Great Falls Of kanawha
on the 18th October; at which latter period his
field duties were brought to a close.
The third party given in charge to ii. n Nag
lee who ran the lines up Potts creek and up Mud
dy creek, and also portion OF the line leading from
Dunlap's creek 10 The mouth Of Gauey river. lie
co,nmeuce ed the first OF these routes at the mouth oil
Potts creek about the LIST of August, and III the lat
ter part of October, had conducted the one last men
toned from its Eastern end to the head OF Meadow
river. when he was induced by an advangeous offer
elsewhere to resign his appointment and was succce-
ded by VIM. q. Waller, who was charged with the
duty OF finishing the line.
Ofthe various routes surveyed for the railroad,
there three which come under the designation OF
secondary, viz the lines upon Potts. Second and
Muddy creeks md there are three others. which
may be properly denomlnated primary, VIZ the
Southern Middle and Northern lines leading irem
Covngion the Great Falls, the first crossing the
Allegheny mountain at the head Of Dunlap's creek,
at pass the Swee, Springs, proceeding thence
the way Of Indian creek. in Monroe county, to New
river the second, crossing at the head OF Fork run
and continuing thence down the wales OF Howard
aud Greennbrer river, to New river; and the third
crossing at the head Of Big OgIey's creek over TO
Anthony creek, and passing thence over 10 Nlea-
dow river and down Meadow river TO Ganley AMI
down Gauley river to the kanawha
The three secondary lines are at once iuliy con
demned by the facts disclosed. upon grounds OF OBJ
lection as to elevation, curvature or grades
OF the three primary routes, the Middle ana
Southern, it is perfectly asoeraned, may be passed
BY locomotives and their trains without the use OF
stationary power and there seems TO be no GROUND
to doubt, as far the survey has progressed ''"'
the same advantage may lie claimed for the Northern
route also. There will however be tunnel through
the Alleg hany mountain, of greater or less extent
upon each Of the three routes.
The Middle or the Greenbrcr route has been Sc
lected the the basis of the estimates, and IS prom
inently exhibited to illustrate the relative advantages