Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-06-03
ENGINEERS REPORT.

Mssrs CHARLES II. CohNwELI, J. c. TRUEs-
DEL, WILLIAM RIPLEY and SAM L STURGEON,
Committee to procure surrey Of a Raitrodd
from The tolon Of Salem, Ohio, to The toun Of /
New Castle, Pa.
GENTLEMEN: In compliance with your re-
quest, L have made preliminary examination
Of the route referred to, and herewith present to
you my report
1t may be well in the outset, for the informa-
ton of those who have not been made acquainted
with your views TO state that certain individuals
in the east and west believe that shorter and
better route than any heretofore known, can be
found to connect Cincinnati aud the West, with
the eastern cities, especially New York and Phil
adelphia. As was to be expected, there is some
difference Of opinion as to the best route. All
admit that Columbus should be point. Some
Of the friends Of the measure believe that from
Columbus the road ought to pass into the Tus-
carawos valley, probably by Newark and Coshoc-
ton, thence by New Philadelphia, Bayard station,
Salem and Poland, Ohio; thence to NTahoning
valley, New Castle, Mercer, Clarion valley, vii.
Transport, on the Susquehanna river, and Eas;on
Pennsylvania, and thence by the New Jersey
central Railroad to New York city. Philadel-
pha is to be reached by the Sunbury and Erie
road, which this route intersects somewhere in
the valley Of the Clarion rver,-perhaps at
Ridgway, though ! think it should be lower
down, probably thirty miles, near the mouth Of
. hnl,n,.o tlo ,rbolo g 81
has been surveyed, and found to be practicable
and feasible, except that portion lying between
Salem and New Castlc-thc route now under
consideration. You will rccollcct that the route,
from Salem to Bayurd station, was surveyed by
me last summer and this survey is now msdc
to complete the remaining link. The whole line
from Cincinnati to New York is III miles, and
to Philadelphia certainly not further than by any
other route, and with much better grades
, have examined little more than hundred
miles Of this route in Pennsylvania besides the
two in Ohio-in ALL something more than $50
miles. OF these portions only can speak from
personal knowledge.
In commencing this survey therefore, it was
necessary to have reference to the other, so that
both could be conveniently united in the ultimate
location. To effect this object l adopted start
ing point about half mile west of Salem, on
the line Of the last summers survey, and twenty
feet above the rails of the Ohio and Pcnnsylva
MIA road at said station. BY this means tho
two roads may be kept entirely separate, without
any inconvenience, or if thought proper they
may be united at Salem.
= From an examination Of the map, and
: hasty bird 's-eye view Of the country, / had N,
i doubt that We should be obliged TO adopt tn
{ Mahonug valley as part of the route, thougl
! the direct line to New Castle would only cross
r near its connection with the Beaver. 1t ais
struck me that the town of Poland on Yello,
creek, must be point, in as much as the bank
of this stream served to furnish the only cas-
descent into the said NIahoning valley.
The principal difficulty appeared to be in find
ing reasonably direct exit from Salem in th,
, desired course. After the most careful cxami
nation which my time permitted, discovered
that we could get out by several routes, three o
: which arc marked on the accompanying map
The one in black line has been instrumental,
surveyed all the way-the other two in dotteC
lines have only been partially surveyed by in
struments at doubtful points The most dcsra
bic route, which is marked No. / on the map
would be somewhat expensive in the way Of gra
ding and bridging. This would pass directly
: through the town of Salem, on nearly an all
= line, by way of Poland, to the Mahoning valley
crossing the middle fork of the Little Beaver,
3 short distance above Holloway's Mill. Thi.
difficulty in the line. 1t would require an cx
pensive bridge and cmbankmcnt, but would give
us about two miles less distance than any Other
route. The second route, marked No. . on the
: map, which has been surveyed, runs near to tho
Ohio and Pennsylvania road, eastcrly about tive
miles-thence up small valley to low summit
upon lands of Mr.. Sharp, not far from hii
5 steam saw-mil-thence by Zimmermans farm
Gen. Rollers mill, and so on in nearly straight
line by Poland to tho Mahoning valley. This
though like the first, rather more expensive in
the way of grading and bridging than would be
desirable, is nevertheless favorable. l propose
making grades in few instances to avoid heavy
Cmbaukments and high bridges, of so, so feet
, to the mile. But as these will always be on
straight lines and short plains, they will not be
at all cxccptionablc.
Another route, marked No. on the map, is
by Columbiana, leaving the Ohio and Pcnnsylya.
mia road a mile or more west of town, and taking
a north easterly direction, as marked on the ac-
companying map, into Yellow creek. Thence
down the valley of this stream, by way of Poland,
to the intersection of our line in the Mahoning
valley. The steepest grades upon this route
, would be east of Salem, near the line of the
Ohio and Pennsylvania road-about 40 feet to the
mile The remaining distance to Poland, the