Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-01-02

mated that the estimates finally made up by tho
Field Agents at the city of Richmond, under the slno
iniendence and direction Of the Chief Engineer nd that
the prces applied the line fenia,d By the
nctuai experience Of the work now IN progress
Ertrndd line If CaHnl fiom L}nchb~rg tn COtiag,on
The FIST % mills and +6 chains, terminating at the
lower Extremity q: the Blue DE canal form per
ton # the hn- which vas l"ca''d and "as "x2inined
and approved bv The Beard Of Drr'c,ors he n"nuh Of
August last. OF this distance. 10 miles anf ~ chlrs
cana; the remainder il SLACK water VI" adoption G.,
which between Lynchhurg and The Bt" R'cgr wi.I. Il
believed save upwards of 300 Geo dollars Vie slack
wafer portion is closely bound by high and rocky L!u,
The next miles and G1 chains constitute the Bloc
Ridge canal, miles and 81 chains vi which are On the
South side OF the river.
But little change proposed in The level or plann Of
this work /, is 10 be wdcnrd principal Y on The hill
side, and deepen"d two feet by raising the establishments
The old locks. being too small, cOHsequrn,lv be
torn down and rebuilt all which can be done accord
ing 10 he estimate, for 81 900 per mile, Including
irving path bridge
From the Blue Ridge the line continues the North
side of the river Lackeys Fails where il crosses T.,
The South by nqnednct, the distance being ~ miles
and - chains. OF Which nile and half - slack
water, formed by The Blue Ridge dam. The line ihcu
continues the South side Of the river nearly three and
and halt miles TO the head OF Shepherds Island where
it crosses 10 the North side by n9neduct These
crossings in short distance. rendered Necessary
By long chain Of bluffs on the North side, ard the
great circuit made by the river, which is about miles
longer than the line surveyed.
The line continues on the North side of the river II
miles. Of which passing Buchanan, is slack waller.
Near Ricey the again crossed on GGurGuct
and the line traced on the South SIDE two miles and 81
chains, when 10 the North side on dam
the Backyard Falls. One mile and II chains of the
distance is canal Between the crossings there two
tunnels located, eight and the other % chains
extent The tunnels and crossings are necessary avoid
the circnilous taken BY the river which miles
longer than the route above described.
The line then continues on the North sde Of the river
il miles and nearly half, TO a point ore mile below
or tI.l' FtglP linn 4
this distance are slack water
The river is again crossed on an sqr'dnc and The
line traced the South SIDE about II miles To the
head of an island above the Gave Rock where
es an aqneduct TO the North side Nearly 10 miles
of this distance canal the remainder slack wafer,
crealed by dam located IN The gap oi The kch I4cA
Mountain.
The remainder of the distance terminating n, Coyrg
ton, is traced on the North side OF the river iUurI
is recommended through the ridge farming the gca,
bend in The river, few miles below C0yIngun. i.
will very materially reduce the length Of The Na~.
wlhou, augmPnting the cost of an independent cand
and The is here too citcu:,ous 10 Irsc TO slack
water.
At the first bluff on the South side Of The river below
Coyngton dan i, located which will afford water tar
landing the upper end Of the town; and nmetirly
below the there will be extensive basin 300 Tee!
broad by 1900 leet in length
The total distance from Lynchhnrg 10 Cogin-'on by
the line reported is 81 miles and ~ chains, and by the
river 10 miles. The whole amount OF lockacc IS
~ S94 feet, and the estimated cos. 81 'cOlH--oi,
SIS :tl3 80 per mile. The top al the proposed dam at
Covingon will be 1921 "a feet above the level o! toe
9 Railroad from Coringi0n to the KoTa'cha ErG.
At the Eastern abulmenl OF the bridge over Jacksum
River, upon the border OF the proposed pend, and within
the limits Of the OF Covington the line OF The rail-
road commences; and after CLOSING the river on va
duct $50 ieet long the North side OF DunlnpS Cfrcb
takes It's the valley OF the creek and passing
through a tunnel $50 yards long near the mouth ui OI
cys creek reaches at the end OF 10 10 miles the point
where the Southern and Middle routes dverge tom
each other the former continuing up tho valley o he
creek in direction towards the Sweet Spring, the ht
turning of up the valley Of Fork Run IA d,rrS.
ton towards the White Sulphur Springs. From Ihc
point of divergence of these routes, the line aSccHcs
at an increased grade up the valley OF Fork Run 10
point which Is Is 80 mles from Covngtou. and
COS IS feet above the top of the dam at that place
Here it enters the Allegheny mountain and passes
through it in straight direction by a tunnei2 m,--
and 81 chains in length, with grade ascending ii IN"
rate of - 90 100 feet per mile, which continues tor tH
chains yond the West end Of the tunnel, where the
railroad reaches its highest point summit, AZ Ne DIS
lance OF % e5 100 miles from Covngton, and at 81
elevation Of 7Gi cG feet above the top OF the dam
From the summit Of the road the line descsnds Nesl.
ward by the vaes of Dry creek and Towards creek,
and after passing the White Sulphur Spring.,
crosses GrePnbrer I.vcr, just above the site OF the
COmPanys bridge, viaduct iyn feet lrni'. rod y
feet above low water mark the distance OF tins point
from Covingou being 80 a. 100 miles, and Ms eIeva
lion above the top OF the dam at that place l3 80 feet
After crossing Greenher river, the line passes down
the North side of that stream - 100 miles. to Pont
point two lines were traced-he one following the
bend which the river makes at Tie mouth OF Second
creek the other crossing this bend by Of TUNE!
% chains through limestone rock the saving ~ distance
by the latter line being % miles. From the Pa'n OF
junction Of these two lines, the line traced continues
down the North side of Greenbrer river 40 miles to
Stephens ferry, where there will necessarily he curve
of COO feet radius 800 yards length. IL then pursucs
the North bank of the river - 81 miles 10 the mouth
Of Hungards creek; from which point there Two
lines traced; the one around the Great Bend Of tie
GrecDbrer; the other this bend 10 their point u
junction.; the distance from the point o divergence 10
the point Of junction. being by the former line lO 30
miles, and by the latter 10; making saving IN d.
lance OF q 8 10 miles. The tunnel on the shortest nes
mile 43 chains long; but, the line around the bcnH
there would be required tunnel Of 10 chains, through
Stretcers Neck, besides vaducls The rvcf,
800 and the other go feet in length From the Pont
Of junction, the line traced continues for l0.lHO mcs
down the North side of Greenbrier the mouth &" lh-
river which is 60 | 4 miles from CUvlngton and liI-o
feet above the top Of the dam at that place.
From the mouth Of GreenbrIer the line is traced Down
the North side of New river; and after passing at the
end Of "a miles, through tunnel III Cracker Neck,
Sc chains long, by means Of which saving in distance
OF miles chains will be effected. and after passing
Bowyers Ferry at the distance of fl miles crosses
Gauley river a vaducl $50 feet long, and - lert
above the wafer, and then continues down the kana"ha
river 10 the Great Falls where ii unies with The Inc
run by Mr. Gill from thence TO the town Of Charleston
the Great Falls being, by the shortest line Traced i"i
10 miles from CovngtOn and being also JOO - 'ret
below the top Of the dam tina, place From 'hc treat
Falls The line continues for the distance Of - ries
along the trace Of Mr.. Gls line, down the r!ht BANK
OF the kanawha river, and terminates ~ basin 10 NE
river the foot Of Loup creek shoals the length "' me
whole railroad from its point of commencement /" me
BASIN being 1873 80 miles and the basin being DC" ~ eet
below the top of the dam al the town OF CoVhg'"".
The estimated cost Of the road is 81 42jJ5O Of
the engines and tenders burden and passenger cars ma
chine shops, engine ard houses, &c Is $N1o
making total Of S2GG2,950
If all the tunnels The line of the road except those
at the Allegheny Mountain and at Strechers Neck ."
Greenbrer River, which deemed indispensable
should be omitted the length Of the railroad would Ue
1885 miles, and It's would be reduced sou ~
thereby making the aggregate amount only 81 So IA
Upon the whole line of the shorter road, the only