Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-12-03

,youd fnllv appreciate The magnitude ct IN cir re-
sponsibility. Nav the waters of the Chesapeak
and the Ohio be speedily united by this link Of the
great National Railroad, that must at no distant
day connect the Atlantic and Pacific
'A' ''' ~ j. NJ. McCUE.
SrAuNroN, November 10th, 1851.
J. MARSHALL McCuE, ESQ,
Dear Si,-Mr. showed me
day or two stree portion Of a letter from you
relating to The location of the Central Railroad,
and in obedience to your request promised 10 sup
py YOU with the data you wished Tor. regret
yery much that | cannot send the estimated cost,
as nv time is loo much occupied in making me
location to attend to So intricate matter. VIII
however give you such facts relative to the two
routes as will in some measure supply Inc want
First as to the all important matter OF grades.
The first six miles out of Staunton are about E.
dual in grades on the two routes; that IS we are
compelled to adopt the maximum Of gu ascending
West. and 70 descending. Proceeding toward Inc
Jennings Gap we find maximum glade OF 40 lee'
per mile, and this necessary but for short DIS
lance. For TWO miles beyond Frazier's, the grace
is 50 feet per mile Thence We rise en- the noun
tain side so feet per mile to the summit where Inc
cut will be 25 feet in depth. Thence we fall upon
the Calf Pasture River at 70 feet per mile for IL
miles. From this point 10 Deerfeld the grade
need not exceed 40 feet per mile, s. for The greater
part of the distance not over ~ feet. Commenc-
inc at Deerfield we rise on the slope OF walkers
mountain at 90 feet per mile for about miles,
making in the Turnpike road at the summit OF
Black6urn's hill cut of 40 feet. To have made
this an 80 feet grade, would have required cut OF
so feet, and if you recoect the ground, 1t would
have been very serious business. From the sum
nit to Cloverdale the grades are light. TOM
mencino near Coverdale we descend Stuarrs
Creek at 70 feet per mile for miles. Thence win
50 feet grades to within mile OF the Cowpastule'
That Will be 70 feet-the bridge 5O leet high
Thence up Crumbies creek al 60 land ~ feet grades.
Thence down branch of Porler's Mill creek al ~
thence up the main creek al Az, 5O, bU, 10 aho
so feet grades-thence Gown Wilson's creek al
rs. 50 and 20 to Clifton Forge, where we inter-
sect the Southern route. You will see that there
is but one grade opposed to The heavy trade over
70 feet. and but miles of that on Wilson's creek.
The route is miles longer than the olheT' VI !
should say 81 longer Than the improved buHa,o
Gan line as i, stands now. There is however al
mos, certainty of further reducing the distance
on the Buffalo Gap route from to miles near
the Cowpasure River.
Grades ON The Buffalo Gap route.-Crossing
Middle River we rise for miles at gu feet 10 Inc
"divide." making cut of 40 feet This cut IS
shorter than one Of corresponding depth in Jennings
Gan. Descending from the divide" we have ~
feet grades for miles. From that point (beIow
Kunkle's) 40 feet to Mrs. Craigs Thence as
cendinq IL feet per mile for ! miles. From thence
to Bratron's the grades will not exceed oO feet and
generally 80 feet per mile. Here the route is
Doubtful; we fear an eighty feet grade down padds
creek for u miles, but the matter Is sui open ,or
surveys. From this point TO Clifton Forge ,he
GRADES are not over 80 feet. except The miles
near Wilson's creek, which may be ~. lhis
route has the disadvantage Of having been survey,
ed for the greater portion only by tra Ilhe' ano
undoubtedly can be much improved. Ihere are
no grades On this route over gu, you perceive; anu
generally the rates of inclination are Inc same on
both routes, except the gu feet grade near Deer
field in favor OF the heavy trade, and the ieaed GU
on Padds creek against the trade-ihe heaviest
grade on the Jennings Gap against the trade Se'ng
65. You will De surprised to learn thai mere Is
SO little difference in the grades on the Two foh,es.
By making very lDng cut tJennlngs' zap 'ha'
grade could be reduced TO 70 think, but u would
be about as feet deep. The line III Buffalo zap
on the so feet grade is very direct or with curves
Of large radius in Jennings Gap very crooked
On the contrary the 70 in Buffalo Gap very crook
ed, while in Jennings Gap very direct The
grades in jennings Gap are miles shorter on one
side and 5 on The other. But there are more Of
these grades on the Jennings Gap route IMAM on
the Buffalo Gap. For proceeding from Midd'e
River we have but Two grades, ii is pro0abse' over
50 feet against the heavy trade, while on Inc Jeh,
nings' Gap we FIVE, and should the Company need
assistant locomotives at these grades you VIII see
the evident advantage which the Southern route
possesses. ,,.,,,-
As 10 cost. The Buffalo Gap line to Middle
River will cost $4,000 per mile by estimates. Inc
work is very light, with the exception OF 81 teet
cut on Shumaie's hill and 80 feet bark crossing
Back Creek at tho deepest. From Middle hlVet
the route is very cheap to the Gap; and here we
shall have some heavy work, though me prWHes
are LIGHT, for two miles, the difficulty being IN
fixing The road bed upon the side OF The mountain.
The remainder of the work is light to Inc snm,h'
cut, which is heavy The work on the further
side is toerably heavy for miles: But from ms
section through Panther Gap, the flIst line showed
but $4,000 per mile for grading Inc rest Of 'ne
distance is comparatively unknown To me-
On the Jennings Gap line we have miles OF
very heavy work to commence win. Inc cut
and land damages through town are serious. men
al the hill two miles from town an oOf'!cut IN roch
or a tunnel. At Col. Bell's cut of 40 feet for
some distance and bridge SO feet high crossing
Middle River. From here TO the Gap the work is
very light, costing not over S5UOO per mile
Through the Gap the work is pretty heavy though
not 50 heavy as the Buffalo Gap. From the Gap
to Deerfeld the work is light. We encounter
heavy cut exceeding much that in Buffalo Gap, at
Backbnrn's hill. am sorry that cannot COIN
pare from accurate data. My impression is that
the first 50 miles is cheaper on the Buffalo Gap
route, and the same is the case on the Jennings
Gap for the remaining 80 or 4O
A, the time when finished the Jennings Gap
survey, considered il as certainly adopted. did
not think that so favorable line could he obtained
in Buffalo Gap as has been obtained since. You
are aware, presume, that the Southwestern
Railroad presses US quite closely Tor Distance
They say even that they are shorter since their
SURVEYS are finished. Hence the almost necessity
of adopting the shortest route, provided that the
same grades could be obtained. think that this
has been DONE even think on mature COMPARE
son that the Southern route has the Advantage
The Northern route would be more acceptable 10
the people of Highland and in parts ofthis County,
and if the road was merely to run for their accom-
mediation. it should he the route. II may turn out
that we shall be defeated in our efforts for char
teri can almost say it is probable-but we wish
to make the best show that we can before Inc
House, and in competing for the Ohio trade surely
the Southern route has greatly the advantage. The
matter was not referred TO the Directors al all, and
no decision has been given on the two routes ex-
cept by Mr. Ruggles. | had been very mnch in
favor of the Northern route and had prepared re-
port 10 that effect, but the re survey spoiled my