Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-07-29
Delaware aud Hudson eaii Road
Project.

son Rail Road Company have appointed Com
mittee, mostly Of your City, 10 select the best
route for the location of the Road
The charter allows the Company to start at
any point on the Delaware between the mouth of
the Paulins-Kill river, in Warren Co.. Just below
the Delaware Water Gap, and the n. Y State
Line; and also, to join any road chartered or to
be chartered, leading to the Hudson As the
gentlemen of Newark, and perhaps other stock
holders are mostly strangers to the country, and
much interest is felt by the different sections,
each representing its own inter est-which may
tend to defeat that fair exploration which the III
terest of the Company and the public requires
land knowing that three routes will be recommends
ed for examination. who is perfectly acquaint-
ed with the routes in Warren and Sussex, and
generally with those through Pennsylvania to
the Lackawanna coal fields, may be permitted to
make some statements respecting them.
! One of the proposed routes would begin at
! Stanhope, and run north westerly some 3 miles,
until 1t reaches the Peguest Flats, what is cal
led the Quaker-Settlement from thence across
the settlement N western course 10 miles, to
Johnsonburg, over perfectly level country, un-
der Ilgh state of cultivation. The fall it is sup
posed Will not exceed ten feet to the mile. From
Johnsonsburg the road would 90 miles directly
west to MarEsboro. The road here might be
more difficult to build, account of the high
ground, and the difficulty of getting down TO the
table lands of the Pauns- Kill, at or below Marks
boro. But Mr.. Sullivan, an eminent engineer in
his report some years ago, said it could be done
by crossing the stream below Marksboro, where
the banks are high, and then passing gradually
down the sides of the high lands until it strikes
the low lands OH the Paulins-Kill, at Blairstown,
3 miles below Marksboro. The grade in these 3
miles will not exceed IS feet to the mile, and
this only, it is thought, in the first mile.
DlarkSboro is also on the survey made in 1886
by James IL. Sargent, who was employed by the
Company at that time, to survey the route from
the Water Gap to Newburg, on the Hudson.
From Blarstown to Columba,on the Delaware,
at the Water Gap, the distance is s 81 miles i
perfect plan the fall not exceeding II feet to the
mile, by actual survey From Columbia through
the Water Gap, the grade is u 2-3 feet per mile,
and this is made to reach a sufficient elevation
Tor crossing the Delaware, and meet the road on
the opposite side. The rise through the Gap can
be reduced to less than 20 feet, by entering at
higher point above Columbia, and also shorten
the distance; from Stanhope to Columbia is -
miles, by the proposed route; from the Gap to the
Coal Fields at the outlet of Cobb's Gap, (on
Roaring Brook miles aboveI'ittston, is 45 miles,
making the distance from StanIope TO the Coai
Fields 73 miles, or l is miles from New York
The second route proposed begins at StanIope,
and runs northwest to Newton the county town
OF Sussex, distance of / miles; after passing
8 miles beyond Stanhope, the ground is said to be
very favorable. Qt was surveyed, some years
since by Mr.. Beach Thence leaving Newton,
and running miles westerly, to Batesville, on
the Paulns-Kill. This ground is said to he favor
able AT Batesville it strikes the Paulns-kiil
valley and passes down the table lands, via Still
water, to Marksboro, 10 l-2 miles. Here it III
tersects the first named route, and passes over it,
RIarStovrp to oil ,
fore the distance from Stanhope to the Gap is 81
miles, being 9 miles further than the first route
making the distance from Stanlope to the Coal
Fields, by the second route 50 mllcso lbs mile,
from New York
Now as to the third route from Stanhope to
Carpenters Point or Port Jervis on the Della
ware, near the N. Y. State line. From Stan
hope to Newton, III miles; from Newton to Port
Jervls, 30 miles; from Port Jervis to the same
point IN the Lackawanna valley as in the other
route, 10 miles-making the distance III miles
from Stanhope,via Port Jerys, to the Coal Fields,
or l54 miles to New York-After leaving New
ton, the route runs N. w. to BranclIyille miles;
here 1t is "A miles from Port Jervis, and on the
east side of the Blue Mountain. Here, also, it
enters the mountain district, and passes through
thlnly inhabited country, not susceptible of
much Improvement; and when it arrives at Port
JerVls 1t comes In competition with the Delaware
d Hudson Canal and with the ~ Y a. Erie r.
H., and, as before stated, then 20 miles from the
Coal Fields. The rise is about 60 feet to the
mile, on the east side; the fall on the other side
not recollected: refer to Mr.. Beaeh's Report
The first two proposed routes pass through the
most extensively improved parts of Warren and
sussex; there being no mountain or broken lands
from near Stanhope to the Gap. Every farm on
either route at this time would sell at from SD
TO S0O per acre.-ln fact, either of these two
routes would secure IN great measure the car
rylng OF much the larger portion of the agricul-
turai products of both counties.
BY taking the Water Gap route, the road will
escape all competition; it is the middle and di-
rect route, and passes through great agrcultur-
al region. No other road can come in competl-
tlon with it. If the Somerville road should be
extended to Easton, it would not interfere Eas.
ton being y miles south of the Gap, which would
be the nearest point to that road. Ailer passing
through the Gap it enters Monroe County. of
which Stroudsburg is the County town.
Inc Gap IS the great natural kew through
which the products of Monroe, Iuzerne, Pike.
and other western counties in part pass. on their
way to the eastern markets, as we'll as tie ~,
through which the tr2vel from the same recsiop.
as well as furthe. west, also passe. 70 the east.
BESIDES the Gap is place of much resort from
,ae IN cities. Upwards of 800 persons visited the
nonntaln House during the last season. by staees,
&c There arc also slate quarries now opened
anu successfully worked, near the Gap. The
Alleghany Mining Company are now opening
and working the ancient Copper Mines, near the
GAP These Mines more e,tot,S;DeI,, ,rOrked