Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-10-20
From the Railroad Record.
|GALLIPOLIS AND CHILLICOTHE RAIL

.idALLlfO1lS AND Cd1Ll1CO1dE KALI
ROAD.
l. ITS CHARACTER AND PROSPECTS.
The following letter was received
from an intelligent gentleman o. CALI
polls, whose statements, as to the char
acter, resources and facilities of the
country they describe, we most fully
endorse. The route described by them
may be traced on Mendenhall's new
map, which is an admirable reference
map in everything of this kind.
We concur also, in the opinions of
our friends at Gallipolis, that there is
scarcely any short line of railway which
is of more Importance than this 1t is
but about 80 miles in length, connect
ing the Ohio river with the great line of
the Cincinnati and Marietta Railway,
through country which, for iron and
coal has no superior. Besides this, it
is obviously the best connection between
the Virginia Western and Central Ohio,
a connection which must hereafter be of
great importance.
To manufacturers also, we commend
this letter, for there can hardly be a
point in the country where the iron bu-
siness can be better carried on than in
Gallia We Judge from the close of the
letter, that the line from Gallipolis to
Hamden junction of the Marietta and
Hillsborough lines will soon be placed
under contract, and hence the subject
is of interest to contractors and capital
lists:
Gallipolis, Sept. %, 1853.
E. D. MANSFIELD, Esq.
Dear Sir: 1 wish to call your atten-
ton to matter coming exclusively with
in your editorial jurisdiction; and that
is, the character and prospects of the
Gallipolis, Jackson and Chillicothe Rail-
road Company. The charter was pass
ed May %, 1850, with power to con-
struct a railroad from Gallipolis to
connexion with the road of what is now
the Cincinnati and Marietta Railroad
Company. Its powers are those con-
tanned in the general railroad act of Feb.
II, 1948.
A company was organized under this
act, in July, 1852. the necessary amount
of stock having been obtained. Soon
after, the services of Charles B. Shaw,
Esq, the eminent engineer on the Vir-
ginia Central road, were obtained, and
surveys of two routes made; one from
Gallipolis, by Centreville and Jackson,
to the Chillicothe road, north of Jack
son, near the residence of Mr.. Byers,
on Pigeon creek; the other by Vinton,
Buckeye Furnace, and the upper valley
of Little Raccoon creek, to the same
road at Charleston or Hamden, in the
southwest corner of Vinton county,
The two routes run over the same
ground until Raccoon Greek is crossed
in section 13, T. 6, r. 16, at the mouth
of Barren Greek. From this point,
route No. runs northerly on the west
side of Raccoon, to section &c, 7. 7, R.
Is, through sections 96, %, and diago-
nally through section Is, corners of Is,
9, 8 and 5, In T. 7, and S. 81, in T. 8,
R. 16, northeast corner of S. Sc, T. 9,
R. II, southwest section 25, northeast
sec. 96, near the Buckeye Furnace, in
the valley of Little Raccoon creek;
thence northwest up the valley to a
junction with the track of the Marietta
and Cincinnati road, on sec. 13, T. 8,
R. 10.
have been the more particular in
giving the line of this route, since it is
the one decided on by the company
By the aid of the large map of Ohio,
by Doolittle and Munson, the line can
be easily traced, and its locality identi-
fed. Having done this, 1 will now
state the character of the ground, the
probable costs of the road, and the pros
poets it holds out for a profitable bust
ness.
1. The character of the ground
This is as favorable as any road in Ohio.
The line starting from the town plot of
Gallipolis, follows the valley of creek
until it comes out on gravel plain,
which constitutes the summit between
the Creek and Raccoon. There are
here no hills whatever; from this place, |
creek valley carries it to Raccoon;
thence it follows the valley of Raccoon
up to sec. 95, near Vinton, in T. Z, R.
16; thence along a nearly level divi-
ding summit between the two Raccoons,
until it passes low gap over on to
run leading down into the valley of Lit
tie Raccoon. The grades are all easy,
none greater than AZ feet to the mile,
and only two miles, where it reaches
over about Is feet; while most of the
way, it is much less than that. No
curves need be made, having radius
less than .about 1900 feet, a three de-
gree curve; and these curves, where
they do occur, will be only very short
segments. 1t will be seen that the
ground is in this respect very favorable.
And these advantages are obtained with
no heavy work, whether of embankment
or excavation. This arises from the
fact, that this line follows the water
courses, instead of crossing them as is
the case with the lines of the Marietta
and Cincinnati and Hillsborough roads.
With such works as are found on Ell
ther of the above roads, the curves
could be enlarged to Two degrees. and
the highest grade to 80 feet to the mile.
and this grade confined to two points of
| mt ovor. two miles each ub,lo IL :. LII