Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-11-24
sssTIr, RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
To Tia Board Of Directors of The Louisa Railroad
Company.

Company.
Gentlemen: have The pleasure of cCmmuni.
eating the following report OF our Engineer, oil
The surveys ii the roule from The Junction 10
Richmond.
To the President and DIRECTORS Of
the Louisa Railroad Company.
Genllemen:-I have the honor 10 present, 10
pursuance Of The resolution OF the Stockholders
al their 18th annual meeting, the following report
on the survey and estimate OF The cost oil con-
structng your road from the Junction to Rich.
mond
II is possible thai a more desirable route Than
The one selected BY me, can be lound, but presum-
ing The highly favorable features OF The route ST.
lec;ed, sufficient Tor The present information Of
The Board, shall confine myself TO brief state
ment OF their peculiar features only, beginning
with the
HANOVER ROUTE.
The description Of the lin. is omitted, as il
contains details Tor which We have mol space
II passes very near Hanover Court House and
crosses the Chickahominy lille above the Mea-
dow Bridges.
The line near the station, 26i miles. enters
within the corporation limits OF The City OF RicE-
mond and the route adopted with The consent OF
Inc City Council, is 10 occupy Concord and Union
Streets, TO the proposed terminus on the North
side OF franklin Street.
The whole length Of The survey from the juno.
lion 10 Richmond, is PA miles This distance,
| am conf !ent, (from Improvements IN The line
suggested abpve) will b. reduced 10 u miles
The maximum grades adopted are al the iaIe OF
40 lee; per mile, with he exception Of he grade
from the summit al The "a mile station 10 Butch
CT fiat, which is al he rare OF So ieet per mile.
The sutjoined table embraces the cost of the
Tha d,.ta ia cd I'M
sections of one mile in length, to assist in a
thorough comprehension of the cost of The diff
fe rent portions of the route.
(The table showing the cost Of graduation,
bridging, masonry, &C., &c., is omitted. Suf-
fee it TO say, tina, the price sci down for excaya
lion and embankment, is from six to ten cents
to 81 per perch. Aggregate of the whole
S79,907.)
RecaPitulating the above estimate and adding
thereto the cost Of the supers,rucure, (including
iron,) we have the whole cost of the work con-
densed in the following items:
Grading, SI9,907
Twenty-seven and a half miles Of su.
perslruclure, al S3. 500 per mile, 96,25O
Sl76, Isl
Add for engineering and contingen
cies, embracing land damages, de.
pots, &C., 10000
Aggregate, Sl96,l57
Or at the rate Of 81, l32 SO permile.
The plan Of superstructure will be similar 10
that now used on the old road. except the size
of the iron, which will be twoand a-half and
three-quarters.
The prices allowed for graduation are con
Sderaby higher than those now paid to contrac-
tors on the Western extension. Taking into
consideration the character of the soil the diff
ference is at least twenty-five per cent. The
estimate may therefore be taken as the extreme
cost Of the road
The plan Of building iron bridges, adopted on
the extension westward, would Recommending here.
The difference in the cos, is small compared 10
the advantages secured. Ii adopted, the sum Of
81, 900 will have 10 be added 10 The estimate
description and Ia bic OF Caroline route omitted
The crossing OF Pamunkey will require
bridge 400 feet long The fa on he Hanover
side is 300 ieet wide, and the river making 4
sutden bend and keeping parallel and distant,
but so feet from The line for nearly the who'll" OF
this distance, makes it extremely doubtful whe
Their This will be sufficient water way 10 ensure
the embankmcni against high treshets
Should this route be ainpied, il would be ad-
vsahle 10 make careful note o. Inc rise anu We
| ociry OF the stream during high water, so as -
calculate with certainty the required waterway
10 ensure permanen! embankmen.
The subjoined table embraces The cost OF The
! graduation 10 The 9th mile, the distance from
thence 10 the intersection with the Hanover route
will be one mile and guarer making il longer
| BY one mile han its rival Table omitted
! Reca pi,uatns The above estimate and adding
thereto The cost OF the supersIructure, we have the
| cos! OF Ire work as follows:
Cos, cfMs Caroline Route
Grading 8 miles, S403il W
do. 1t miles |, 500
l0t miles supers,ructure a So 500 per
mile, 35,s7i
Aggregate, $77,7l6 OF
Cost Of hs Hanover Route.
Grading 9. miles, S33 9S5 OF
ct miles superstruc,ure 80 500 $3.50 W
Difference, Sll 1856 OF
Il ~ In l.,