Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-07-30

ou..lns, Iiouaequoht upon changing the grades and
curves hence the difference in the two estimates
a cheaper road could be built but 7 do NOT ,L;,l,
1t would be ono that the business Of The connirn
or the spirit Of the times would demand '''"''S
by the Gulf route, the cost of grading. moson-
y and bridging, from Royaton to the nout5 of
Dog River, would be S7Gl,867 GA, or S412,s5s 43
more than 6y the preliminary surveys. The cost
by the preliminary surveys, I regard as altogether
inadequate. All the items detailed in that survey
must be greatly increased to- build road on that
plan: but would not venture TO build n road.
as is proposed, through the Gulf because for the
reasons | have heretofore given, l should not
consider it safe
The plan on which the above estimates are bas
ed, and by which a safe road can be constructed.
is 10 Keep more in the valley, and avoid more the
sidc nils which would be liable to slide down. so
as to make the road as much as possible. an en-
0ankment and as distant as possible from the
slopes oil inc nus, cutting into but few points
That are not solid. Again, t. build the road on
the side hills, as was proposed by the prelimin-
ary surveys will require a curve, in turning the
hill below the mineral spring, inadmissabo with
out very heavy rock cuttings, very much beyond
inc amount estimated in the preliminary surveys.
curve OF 500 feet radius was traced by Nessrs
CAMPBELL o. CHEsBRO', and it ran of from the
side hill into the low ground. A curve of 400
feel radius was traced by Messrs. BRowN g. BecE-
WIN along the side hill, as proposed in the pre-
lminary surveys, and it ran into the LEDGE. SO
as to require about 10000 yards of rock cutting.
curve of about 7i6 feet radius would keep a
long the side hill without severe cutting or filing;
but such a curve would be altogether inadmissa-
pie, in so important road and at such a place,
being remote from any proposed depot, and on a
heavy grade.
The case then stands thus:
The grading, masonry and bridging, by Gulf route,
will cost, if safe and permanent S764,SG7 81
The same items, Oh the Mortified
route, will cost, 4GO,s25 so
Difference in favor of the North
field route, s3O4,o42 IA
But the Mortified route will require
800 miles of track more than the
Gulf route, which viii cost $4,000 90
The difference of the road, with
track complete, will be in favor Of
the Northield route, s253,142 II
The question that now presents itself is this
how much more would a road be worth, through
the Gulf to the Company, than through Mortified,
on the ground that both roads would be equally
good, to material, whou constructed 2 or, III
other words, how much more would they have to
eXpend annually to maintain the Mortified route
1t may be summed up as follows:
To maintain 500 miles Of extra track, will cost,
per annum, $6,lO8 90
Cost of the Montpelier branch, by the
new survey, s27 237 80, which at 6
cent per annum, will be 1854 90
The height to be overcome by way
of Mortified is 50 feet more than
by way of the Gulf; and an adj
dltlonal locomotive power will be
required sufficient to lift the pas
sengers and freight to that addi-
tional height which will be, per
annum, about 1900 90
Extra cost of running and keeping in
repair the Montpelier branch per
annum, 600 90
S99l2 %
To produce which, at all interest of per cent
'cr annum, would require a capital of Sl65,73 81;
nd this deducted from the above $3.50, l42 II,
will give So7,435 81 in favor of the Mortified
oute when all the items are taken into consid-
ration. All of which induce me- as an Engi-
eer, to report in favor of the Mortified route.
Respectfully submitted, by
SAMUEL NJ FELTON,, Engineer.
November 6, 1916