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

OF collision, there is no possible circum
stance which can make it the interest o
either company to desire such an ar
rangement.
In this belief, the line was laid paral
lei TO the Scioto and Hooking railroad a
such distance as would leave no waste
land between the roads.
Near Jackson, the line passes from
the valley of Salt creek, through Low
fiat summit, on to the waters of Sugal
Camp creek, where it iniersects, aboui
one>half mile north of Jackson, the Gin.
cinnati, Hillsborough and Parkersburg
railroad.
Passing Immediately on to Horse
creek, which is tributary of Salt creek,
the line follows that stream with easy
gradients and light work to its head
Very little bridging and some few diver
sions of the stream will be necessary.
From Horse creek summit the line
descends Pigeon creek, at first by gentle
grades and with but little obstacle; but
the last four miles are succession Of
heavy fills, deep cuts and expensive
bridges, with one tunnel Of $50 feet in
length. The strict estimate for the 9
miles and 3,O83 feet OF Pigeon creek ti-
vision is nearly $4,000. m
Such an amount of obstacle in SO
short.a distance is suggestive of a change
of route. The valley of the main Salt
creek, or rather its south fork. would
doubtless be better in grade and cheaper
per mile to construct-and would short
en- the entire distance to Chillicothe
three or four miles; and though the
| length of road to be constructed west OF
Jackson would be some three or four
miles greater, leel very confident the
longer route would cost much less than
the shorter.
Route No, ! terminates at Byers on
Pigeon creek, forming there connec-
ton with the Marietta and Cincinnati
railroad. The whole distance from Gal
lipolis to Chillicothe by this route would
be IS miles, 2 miles of that distance
being on the e. and M. railroad.
A route was reconnoitred from Jack
son by way of the Keystone furnace.
which it was not thought expedient to
survey, as better route was presented
passing the DGckeye furnace. As this
last route was made the subject of a sur
vey, will proceed to describe it. i
commences at the village of Hampden
on the line of the Cincinnati and Mari
eta railroad, 7.l6 miles east of Byers,
where line No. 1 connected with the
same road. From Hampden. descend
ing Sand run to Little Raccoon creek,
the line pursues that stream to the neigh
borhood of Buckeye furnace, crossing
the creek 81 times in the space of Z
miles. From 10 to 13 of these cross
ings can be avoided. The probable av
erage cost of the bridges will not be
more than $4,000 each. There are
four tunnels unavoidable, varying in
length from 800 to 500 feet, and much
heavy embankment.
Leaving the valley of Raccoon at
Buckeye by tunnel 500 feet long, the
line ascends Greasy run, and, with a
deep cut at its head, passes on TO a
branch of Spring run. Descendlngthis
branch, and ascending another branch
of the same stream, it reaches Durgins
run; and crossing somewhat undula-
ting country, again reaches Little Rac~
coon at the mouth of Deer creek.
Crossing Little Raccoon for the last
time, about II mile from Vinton, it as
cends Deer creek for about miles; pas
ses through depression at Ratikins.
and descends Slash run TO Big Raccoon;
and crossing the latter near the mouth of
Barren creek, unites in the valley ofthe
latter with line No. I. ~
The whole distance to Byers by this
line would be nearly 50 shorter than by
line No. 1, and the length of road to be
constructed, in order to achieve con-
nection with the Marietta and Cincinnati
railroad, will be 81 less than on route
No L. A connection will also be form
ed on route No. 9, at the Buckeye fnr-
mace, i25 miles from GalTipolis, with the
Cincinnati, Hillsborough and Parkers.
burg railroad. The whole distance,
however, to Cincinnati by this route
would be several miles longer than by
route No. l.. sa.1paai slA9'ifg ser
Route No. has also the great advan-
tage of passing through one of the rich
est mineral regions in the State-indeed,
in the United States. i have only toI
refer you TO the report of Mr.. Mather,
the geologisr Of the State, on the coun-l
try traversed by the C. H. and P. rail-
road, TO demonstrate the value of this
route, were it merely local enterprise
for the accommodation Of a great miner
al traffic. Inexhanstible quantities of
iron, bituminous and camel coal, mar
Bile and buhr stones, give abundant en-
couragement to construct this line as a
branch line-but, as a link in great
national communication. and an avenue
for the expeditions transit of the throng1
of travellers who will. in timeto come,
be compelled to prefer this route from
the West to the Atlantic, the superiority
in grade. of route No. / entities it to de-.
cided preference. Route No. Q is both
greatly inferior in grade, as simple in.
spection of the profles will show, and
so evidently more expensive in the con-
struction, that il is not deemed expedi-
ent at this time to enter into exact esti>
mates of the comparative cost Of the two
lines0 The same reasons apply in the