Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-12-13
4th Division, extending from the termination Of
ard Division to Cedar River distance of ls miles,

OF the route extending over level or gently rolling
prairie, through nearly the whole distance. Three
small branches OF Dag Creek, anu Squaw creek are
crossed, requiring small bridges, within twelve
miles Of the commencement, alter which Indian
Creek the largest on TINS DIVISION, Is encountered
passing this with bridge OF 80 feet, requiring no
heavy work, high grades or sharp curves. The
route continues on IN southwestery direction un-
I'll the ravlneS ana oluns OF the creek are passed,
the route then turns to the south and passing over
quite favorable ground strikes the Cedar Mver, at
the ssRapids' where bridge OF $50 feet will be re-
CURED The faculties for crossing here are not sur
passed at any other point on the whole route or on
tins river.
9th DIVISION. extending from the Ceoar 10 the 10
wa river, distance OF IL miles and 49, feet.
From the .Gedar' the ''nH stsss - b
aareCtion across Woe oottom, ana ascending me
niM ny Iasine, erosses ~" summit 'without
uhculy, anu strikes fraiire ofeek .. instance oi
ABOUT q mes, wheh prioge u 81 iee' VIII pe me-
ceSsary, continuing On auou. ''ie SAINT eourS II
gradualiy ascenas the aiidins fioge between 'ie
I"o nveis' anu PASSES INC summit .. 'Ao uiS'a '
vi ABOUT hlies from 'ne commandments ihe
siou"a up 70 inns po.' peins nsiiy Aa'oiaoie' eo-
.ihuihg oh III hearly the same uirec.oh' o'cr equ
" lar ground. iuther Instance ., ABOUT l. miles,
crossing IN 'is .oui s!aii oreeSs'
ing an aggregate amount Oh oIioghs Vi oo lee. "neh
'e lo''te curves 10 VIC ri5h'' pia'ihS s'heo sui
cieht space, " aVoio great hummer oi oeep ra-
vines ieaol"s W INC IOWA Nsero anu passing osei
srouha somewhat prohen, crosses ',hapiu oieeh,
Win oriuSe VI ~ iee', theh ascending passes inc
summit ana strikes the mead oi 'kais'ohs .feek''
d. Instance vi ABOUT : niue rum INC io"a MY
loioWihS Tue Haie! VI 'h's cleeh INC ,ii'e .oh
''hues On through IOWA Ivy ana s'fihes 'he NV :.
or, aoout ono ''iiie peio" INC to"h' oiiose VI
soo zee. VIII NC hecess" W eioss 'ns 81
me ground Is very favorable on TINS DIVISION until
ar'slhs "lhih lew niieS Vi 'f'piu CreeA' "heh
II assumes comparatively a now UNA. oraoe as
ptct, anu CONTINUES SD 10 the 'eImihaloh VI the
dlVlsion. Inc grades can probably be KEPT beio"
IS feet per mile without mourning heavy work.
9th Division, extending from the Iowa River, TO
Mount Pleas mt, distance OF iSa miles. After
crossing the iowa RIVER, the route continues on 'he
river bottom miles, thcn ascehds by moderate
grade, the side OF the blum, crosses the summit and
ueScends TO the valley OF 'soid MANS Cfeek, cross
ing which with bridge OF 40 feet, and another low
summit, II strikcs the south Bfahch OF Oh Mans
,reek' all Wilhih Instance OIL aoout % hiieS'
mere VIII DC no ulfncuty IN keeping the grades on
TINS part OF the route, below the maximum assumed
on the first division. Up to tins point there Will
DC no hcavy work. or sharp curvature on TINS owls
ION, ana from this point the route assumes yer!
favorable character, crossing Englsh RIVER al a
distance OF about 10 miles, with bridge OF about
100 feet, and ascending without dliicuty, from us
valley, the route Is nearly direct TO "WaShlnston,
ana Tor considerable part oil the Instance over
nearly Level prairie, crossing "DaVis' Ireck, WIN
trihlhg bridge IN ms distance, ana leaving the
town OF Washington, the route continues on equal
~ iaVorabie ground untll reaching he west lork Oh
"Crookcd Creek,' distance OF about 81 miles,
which Is crossed with bridge OF 90 ieet, and with
out any difficulty as to grade or curvature. AT a
further distance OF about e miles the main branch
OF sserooked Ireek,' IS encountered, requiring d
bridge OF 100 feet, and some extra WORK near the
crossing, thence after ascending from this creek,
the route continues over very laf ground 10 Mount
Pleasant. The only interruption to grades or a.
worthy Oh honcc' occurs at Dig tfeek,
ahou! 81 miles ue '"~n' ana mere no'ne 0,
: serious NATURES aiust Vi % iet' wiz oe
mere. Inns ehtHe is'oh 'h'S NC e'Asi"efeo Id
'olap'e.
nh DIVISIONS eNtehulns from MI rieasah. 10 Ne
.nuA' uistahee vi seS mites vi 'eafihs MI
ie'sa't the fou'e ihcihes 10 'e Iei'' strihihs ,e
ShunN river oeio" inc mouth Oh zig Creek .he de-
sem ~ ,he river oeihs laci.i1.cu ~ inc Naiiey o
,hls cfeeh' priuse Oh SUI rect VIII NC heceSSal!
liere: A'ter ascending from the I'ei' tue Fou'e
eoi'lnueS over la'orapie GROUND, passing tnronsn
UT near west foint ana sflkes tue 'aley Oh DeNl
creek near the MISSISSIPPI blufis, and descending by
'h'S valley 10 the ''oottoni: taxes nearly alrect
course 10 "Montrose;' thcnce Gown the MISSISSIPPI
~, ~ miles, 10 heoNuk' wi'hoH' nihcuity.
. Inc grades on ms DIVISION can DC kept peioW
'ne maximum admit'ed on the northern ehu OF 'he
rou'e' WITHOUT requiring expensive work.
Another route not differing materially IN distance
rom tne one here adopted presents hseli Tor con-
sideraton on TINS DIVISION; VIZ: rom MI. fieasaht,
lnchhins 10 the right 70 meet feasible Descent 70
the valley of 'Bg creeks" crossing this stream and
surrounding, by extended curvature, the dlvlding
'lose petween the creek ana SKUNK river; crossing
Inc TNer and ascending from ITS valley, by long
raVlne, 10 the general level OF the highlands Le-
tween inns and the DeS MONIES river thence on very
Iair ground through or near Salem, and crossing
the heads OF Sugar or Devil creek; then following
The main trace of the dividing ridge, between this
creek anu "Haii-breed'' creeks, and finally passing
down by the western slope Of this ridge.
inns route would undoubtedly accommodate
greater range of business in the interior, whilst on
The other hand, the greater facility of approaching
keokuk on the first route, together with the con-
slderation that the part of the line between 'keo-
kuk" and ''Montrose" around the rapids) could
soon lie made available, even during the progress Of
The work, on the remainder Of the line, would per-
haps enttle it to the preference. These are consid
eratons, however, to apply in the definite location
81 the line, and 1t will be for the Board OF Directors
alter complete surveys, TO decide between different
routes offering conflicting pretcnSions for the loca
lion.
In concluding this description of the route, ii
might perhaps suffice for all the purposes for which
ms report Is required, to state the entire practical
olliy of constructing RAILROAD of sufficient capa-
rs matter of interest, the cost of construction will
DC considered
tsGRADING.''
The estimates are based upon graduated road
bed OF 16 feet IN width, for single track OF Rail-
Way.
s'MEC1iANICAL STRUCTURES" ..
These are supposed to be constructed of the best
N 'teriais, and on the most approved plan. The
ridges ofwooden frames, on stone abuttments and
iers; for large spans the frames to be Of s.Longs
mpt Owed Patent,' and for moderate spans,' Towns
Lattice" The culverts are calculated for stone,
De great and the embankment but lght in these ca