Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-15


Daapjlls Railroad--1As Appendices Bridge, !
We learn that thorough and final test was
made on Tuesday, of the iron bridge over the
Appomattox river on the line of the Richmond
and Danville Railroad. The President and Chief
Engineer of the Company, and several citizens of
Amelia were present and witnessed the interest
ing experiment The bridge'was made to bear
weight of more than 2l2 tons, with the engine
and loaded cars at full speed and the DETECTION
was only about one quarter OF an inch. Inc
Chief Engineer and President were highly graft
fed with the result, which, by comparison with
previous tests of the strength of the iron, proved
that the pressure of 2l2 tons was not more than
third of what the bridge would sustain, ard, ct
course, that it is capable of bearing far greater
weight than is ever likely to be put upon it. Our
informant says that Capt. Talcott, with that per-
feet confidence in the accuracy of his calcua-
tons which so certainly marks the man of true
science, took his position beneath the bridge in
order to note precisely the degree of reflection as
the loaded train first passed over.
| This morning, we are pleased to be able 10
state the mail passenger train will, for the hrst
time, run directly from Richmond to Amelia
Court House; and, on and after the 20th INST,
a new arrangement of hours will go INTO erect,
which will materially shorten the time OF transit
between Richmond and all points beyond the
Court House.
We understand the Directory are using every
exertion to have convenient depots erected, as
speedily as possible, on the South side of the
Appomattox, and at Amelia Court House.
The work of laying the track is, we are happy
to learn, proceeding satisfactorily beyond the
Court House, and the rails have now reached {
point within four miles of Jetersve. The juno
ton. or Burke's will probably be reached in No.
yember. We see that our friend of the Peters
burg Intelligencer infers from the refusal of Hal
ifax and Charlotte to make county subscriptions
that the railroad will tarry at Burke's for a onf
while but in this prediction he will find himsel
mistaken Much of the grading is now dom
between Burkes and Keysvle in Charlotte, anC
. the remainder is all under contract to be compile
ted by the first of May next. The Company
have on hand all the materials for the superstrue
ture and their resources will undoubtedly be
Z sufficient to lay it down. Keysvie, then, is ;
point quite certain to be attained, without any
county's subscribing. 1t is fifteen miles beyonc
, Burke's, and twenty miles from Stauntor
river, and the depot there will be near enough te
the greater part of Charlotte and Halifax to attract
the produce of those counties by wagons. The
advantages of using the railroad and the grievous
Inconvenience and expense of wagoning to it
will then be fully appreciated, and we do not en-
terrain doubt that the means of prosecuting thu
road to its final completion will be raised. Tht
failure ofthe counties to subscribe at present car
only have the effect of delaying the work and ;
little energy in obtaining private subsc rptions
would even now ensure the ability of the Directo-
ry to place the line between Keysvle and the
Stanton river under contract this winter.
1t may be we'll here to correct an erroneous
report, which has been circulated in the country
that the Engineers committed blunder in the
length of the Appomattox bridge. We are in
formed that it is not one inch shorter or longer
than it was by the original design. The rumoul
doubtless got wind from the circumstance, that
the high fresh of last Spring satisfied the Chief
Engineer that it would be prudent to use more
stone-work in the construction of the abutments
than he at first intended, and the time necessarily
taken in carrying out this purpose has been the
cause of the tedious postponement Of the compile
ton of the bridge.