Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-01-13
REPORT

On the Location of the Gallipolis,
Jackson and Chillicothe Railr Dad, by
C, B. SHAW, C. E.
Zs the President and Director, of The Galiipo-
i;, Jackson and ChilGeotte r. r. Co.
.GENTLEMEN: present you my report
on the approximate location of your
road, with estimates annexed Of its prob
able cost. t..-r
The labor Of reconnaissance was a.
bridged greatly by the accurate local
knowledge of Gen. Geo. House, who
had, previous TO my coming, made a
compass survey of the route judged by
him to be the best, and which proved to
be so. r
That, and other routes reconnoitred,
now proceed to describe.
Route No. !, the preferred one, leaves
Gallipolis near the upper end, crosses
the valley of Chickamoga creek, where
high bridge and embankment are me-
cessary to avoid the Ohio back water,
and ascends Chickamoga on the south
bank. 1t crosses the south fork of the
creek, at point where it was proposed
to make deviation survey by way CT
Rodney and Adamsville-which survey,
as may be seen on the map, should be
made before final decision on the ques-
ton of the route.
After crossing the south Fork, the
North Fork is ascended, and crossing
Of Barren ridge, the most serious obsta-
Gle on the line. is effected by continu.
GUS gradient of per 1000 (494 feet per
mile,) for 8 miles-the extreme cut at
the summit being AZ feet, entirely, from
appearances, in earth, and the deepest
filling, at any point, 35a feet.
Barren creek, at first in the valley OF
a small tributary, and afterwards in
that of the main creek, is thence purS
sued to its junction with Big Raccoon
creek. o,58 aa
The unavoidable crossings of Barren
creek are but four in number. All 9th
ers may be avoided by slight deviations,
or by diversions of the channel of the
creek. lai-a
The original survey and the prelimi-
nary location both cross Big Raccoon
near the mouth of Barren, in an obique
direction. ssi f ssea = -ia I
There are engineering objections to
such crossing, in addition to the in
creased length of bridge. 1t may easi.
lybe changed to a rectangular crossing,
by a slight addition 10 the length of the
road. Z The actual water is 1870 feet
wide, which should be the distance be-
tween the abutments. This is the wi
dest span on the line, but not the most
costly bridge, as the embankment to a.
void the floods of Big Raccoon has need
only to be l9 feet above the creek bot
tom, ,or about l8 feet above the water.
surface. The wateris 10 feet deep. and
the abutments may possibly have their
foundations 80 feet below grade. They
have been so estimated. = ID
From the crossing of Big Raccoon the
line pursues the valley of Indian creek
toathe head of its southern prong near
Centreville. The North prong is Cross
ed just south Of Ridgeway's tavern
Six bridges only are necessary across
the creek. The very numerous bends
trasersed BY the line may all be diverted
into new channel, at no expense what
evetLthe excavation ofthe new bed fur
nishing the embankment, which other
wise must be Borrowed elsewhere. 'I'h7
Passing south of Centreville, the line
attains the beautiful champaign at the
division of the waters of Indian and
Symmes, creeks, and finally drops into
the valley of the Grassy fork Of Symmes.
.sThe Grassy fork is sluggish stream,
and, as such streams are in general, is
sinuous in its course. The line is COM
pounded of fills, to avoid the creek
foods; some rock cuts. and one tunnel
of, 94O feet. with view to the passage
of,abrupt bends. The whole line is.
however, one of great economy, and
could not adyantageously be changed.
The head of the, Grassy fork is flat and
disposed to be swampy where not under
cultivation. Almost at the dividing of
its waters and those of Salt creek. -
embankment some feet high and enc
small bridge are necessary. ~
From this fiat summit the line de-
scends prong of Salt creek, and, after
crossing marsh, reaches the Scicto
and Hooking valley railroad at the be-
ginning of 8 mile tangent on that road
extending to the town of Jackson.
The Scioto and Hooking valley rail-