The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-10-03
4 Tas.day, booming, sept: aO, ls0l:
The scioto & HockiHg VALLEY q railroad

/
Portsmouth to Jackson, we have long cher
ished wish to become more thoroughly ac-
uuainted with the route than we were able
toebe from mere verbal description. Ia
king advantage of visit Of several officers
Of the company, on business along the line
and having been kindly offered a conveyance
in their company, we left this plaee Tor jack
son on Wednesday last, and. i1returninng,
came bdown on or near the line, almost every
section of which we had an opportunity OF
Examining. 5]H .Gl -,
r. Although we had always been layorably
impressed by the general character OF tine
roadapd the progress making in its construc-
'stion,gwe must confess toan agreeable disap-
,pointment in several particulars; among the
!, most prominent Of which may be named,
the feasibility of the route, the resources OF
the country through which it passes, and the
very forward state of the work.
With the exception of the deep cutting,
on The SUBMITS between the waters OF Little
Scioto and Hales' Creek, between two
branches of Wards run, and some rofky
points along Wards run, the route is mitch
more favorable than could have been antci-
pated; passing over an undulating surface,
where the line has been generally SO laidas
to make the cutting and filling nearly eq'al
in amount, and which admits Of long reaches
,sof straight line; one near Jackson being
about four miles, and another near Ports
mouth Of five miles, besides many others be-
tween the two places. Excepting the rock
, in the deep cut and in the points betoie
mentioned, the cutting is through clay atnd
a clayey loam, which is readily removed and
at reasonable prices. There are a lew nils
of from ten to fifteen feet for short distances,
but these, being made from cuttings 10 not
involve heavy expenditure The streams
are small being mostly crossed by bridges OF
"a single span. The largest bridge is the one
,.across the Little Scioto, and the entire length
Of this is only about 2lo feet, divided into
two reaches. There are few side cuts OF any
kind and none where there is danger OF slides,
or that are difficult to drain. In fact, the
drainage on the entire line can be easily and
eifectdally accomplished.
ksaFor six miles, from Portsmouth to Scioto-
vile, the road passes in continued straight
line along the rich bottoms of the Ohio river
Itthen passes up the Little Scioto to its trib'
utaries, to the waters Of Hales Creek uf
that stream through narrow valley for eigh'
or ten miles, across the dividing ridge to the
waters of Salt Creek and along the wide
valley of that stream 10 the town OF Jack
son. Excepting some Of the hilly land
few miles from the Ohio river, the road tray.
erses a.region of country susceptible Of be-
=, coming, and which must soon become, rict
,in all the varied products of Agriculture 9
Almost the whole Of Jackson county is ad
vmirably adapted for small grain and grazing
We saw many farms where herds OF cattl'
were quietly feeding in the grassy and wei
watered pastures. It's also we'll adapted 70
sheep husbandry, which, at no distant day
win become one Of the most proftab
branches Of agriculture, and might be at tn
present Were it not for the single articleo
corn, for the production Of which the bot
toms of the Scioto are unriyalled, some o
the upland farms in Jackson county, alon
the line Of Railroad, would soon be Of NOR
value than the same number of acres on th
banks of the Scioto. It'll being healthy, wei
watered, capable of producing almost al
that heart can wish and soon to be With
reach Of good markets, nothing can preven
its becoming well-improved and wealthy
hut the mineral resources of the regio
through which the Scioto & Hooking Vale
Railroad passes, exceed those pertaining
agriculture. The hills for almost its entiI
length are filed with iron ore, coal, limt
stone, sand stone Of on excellent qualil
and clays Of various colors and consistenc.
IN many places the road cuts through a
theso, though, seeking the most level po
ticns Of the county, it, Of course, avoi'
the best mineral localities. In one plac
near Oak Hill. the road passes close by
bed Of coal seven feet III thickness, and
several places, on the hills near the road,
Hsaw-the openings for coaland iron ore. "a
ready there are three furnaces IN opelatie