Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-05-02

Fix Fork tributary Of Clear Fork OF Cumoer-
- nd river. IS 500 feet below the gap and runs
,,ars1lal with the mountain in north easterly |
aa;reot;on. The line follows the westerly slope |
IS pine mountain for 10 miles, until it reaches
tho valley of Elk, near gorge made by the
oroeL between Pine and Jelico mountains, cali
~ Tslps Point. The valley Of the upper Elk
presents some very remarkable teatureS,perhapS
pr,f;c;ant of themselves to warrant the construc-
go of the road The valley or basin surroun,
ded on all sides by Pine and Jellico mountains
o,,bracinq an area of about IL miles in diane
tor generally consists of level bottom land,
80 ,ich and productive and capable ofsustain-
;nG dense population. Rising out Of this
hnltor1 land are frequent knobs and lone noun
Gins. these knobs are entirely composed OF lrou
orc oftIe finest quality, every branch and noun.
toin stream cuts its way through deep beds OF
Rituuinous coal, whilst the mountain sides are
coverd to the very summit with heavy growth
climber. The generatformation Is Sand stone,
Int extensive veins of Lime stone appear at va
considerations These combinations present
faciliies for the manufacture OF Iron probably
nnri1alled by any location, and when the Knox
| y;lleand Kentucky road is built, presenting the
maAet of Cincinnati and Louisville and the
otbet nothing can prevent 1DG..,
oo,ninglthe great centre of Iron manufactures OF
the Uuited States.
After passing Hell's Point the mountains a
! oain recsde, forming a second and much lar
! Ger BASH: Clear Fork and Elk coming from op-
nosite directions here unite and together con-
Time tb.ir course to the Cumberland. The
/ land is ich and productive; the streams cut
throuoIbeds of coal, and | was informed by the
residents that coal could he reached anywhere
in the basin, at depth Of not exceeding 4 feet.
The line is very straight and of very easy con-
struction. and light grades to Williamsburg, KY.
a distance of Is miles from the upper Elk.-
The Cumberland river is crossed at Williams
burg. a point Is miles above the Big Falls
The river is 200 feet wide and can he crossed
with bridge not exceeding 80 feet in height,
merely sufficient to be above high water mark.
As the line ofthe Knoxville and Kentucky
road will probably deviate from the Danville
line at WILLIAMSBURG, a minute description OF
the survey beyond this will not be necessary, n
general description of the country will he snlfi-
Gent. Following the valley Of BlakiS Fork
some six miles from the Cumberland; Il level
fiat country is reached, about 300 to $50 feet
higher than the river. This fiat woods country
extends some 80 miles in the direction OF Dam
vile, but it is utterly impractlcablc to keep a
road upon this level, IN consequence OF the
depth, and PERCEPTIONS character, Of the gorges
made By the almost innumerable tributaries o!
Laurel and Rockcaste rivers. these small
streams interlock with and hean past each 9th
er in such manner that II is impossible to fol-
low the ridge and head them. The plan adop-
ted was to start with the stream, and follow it
down to the river into which it flowed, then seek
ing stream upon the opposite side follows It
ND to the fat woods level again. These small
streams were generally about miles in length.
. and their direction correspondent very we'll with
/ the general course of the survey. The line pas
/ sed about miles westerly of London, Is miles
/ easterlr of Somerset, miles west of Mt. Yer
/ non. 5 miles west of Crab Orchard to STAFFORD,
/ thence to Danville. The total length of a loca-
/ ted line will be l45 miles, GO miles in Tennessee
aud So miles in Kentucky. The maximum
/ grade so feet per mile, the minimum radius OF
curvature lA22 feet necessarily used bat in few
/ instances. The estimates are made for a per-
manent roadway, and for the crossings of the
various streams to be effected by means, of stone
arches wherever such structures are practicable.
Trestle work or pile bridges is not deemed adj
misSable.