Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1854-01-17

Just above the mouth Of the Cedar Fork,
upon the nineteenth mile, we cross Sunfish
Creek for the frs. lime, and presently cross
il twice more at poin. where we propose
TO turn il by ditch through limestone rock
about ten feet deep and less Than 500 feet
long, by means ofwhich wesave two bridges.
Near Byngton we cross .Sun6sh again,
and reach tina, village al the end Of ,heiwen-
tieth mile.
From Hillsborough 10 this poin. we are in
the cliff limestone formation, and encounter
considerable cutting in the lime rock. but
one mile east of Byington the limestone dips
below the waller level Of the country and
disappears from puf ropte,
Entering now deb ackeshal ales(ormalicr
OF ahe geological series: iof Ohio, and de-
scending The Sunfsh valley upon ihe llihsest
practicable straight lines Gone nearly i've
miles lopg) and bridging andTlarhing The
stream wherever necessary, we pass over
the favorable bottom lands Of Sunish, going
south Of Latham, north Of Freshour's saw
mill, south of Clay's saw mill, north Of Pen.
iston's anG south of Jonas Anderson's, where
we cross Sun6sh for the last time with a
through bridge of l50 leet span, and reach
Vasline's store upon the ,hirly.irst mile.
Here the Sunfsh valley bending suddenly
to the south, we are compelled 10 leave it,
and passing Stony Ridge, BY deep Gu, of
Sc (eet greatest depth, enter the valley Of
Noname Creek.
AT Stony Ridge we had originally planned
the Noname tunnel 800 feet long, upon a
lower level, but the material proving insult.
able on opening the work, we have been
compelled TO raise The grade and pass ii with
q through cut containing about 10000
cubic yards of material, chiefly earth, but
having some slate cutting in the bottom.
Descending The valley of Noname, with
heavy slate cutting through some adverse
points, we find on approaching Sciolo River
near the village Of Jasper ridge ju'ting OUT
Composed Of slate capped with The Waverly
Sandslone) which would have caused loss
of half mile Of distance 10 turn it, with
considerable addition 10 the curvature OF the
ine-accordingly we prefer TO pass through
i, with tunnel Of 1000 leet long, in slate
rock, having portal cuts only 500 fee. long
from grade on the west, and 400 feet long
on The east side. A gap occurs in this ridge
short distance north Of the tunnel, through
which we endeavored unsuceessGully TO pass
our line, but this gap being formed by Two
valleys, heading al right ang les lo'each 9th.
er and hemmed in by hills on both sides, it
was found impossible TO occupy it without
reversed curves Of 100 short radius or TO &C.
cupy il at all, upon our system OF curvature,
without incurring a tunnel.
Under The circumstances, unable 10 turn
the ridge on either side with success, the
most direct route was taken and the Jasper
Tunnel adopted.
Immediately east OF the Jasper Tunnel the
line, on descending grade Of SO 6.10 feet
per mile crosses. al -oncelhe State canal and
the Scioto River, upon decked bridge oil
six spans OF $50 feet each, with but three
piers in the river, 10 be founded on piIes,)
and with a grade elevated at an average
about 81 feel above low water mark in the
Scioto-lhe under side Of the lowest timber
of the viaduct clearing water surface in The
Ohio State Canal about IA feet, and clearing
also the extreme food line Of the Sciolo, by
several feet, at the lowest point to which The
descending grade brings the superslruc'ure
Of the bridge.
AT The Scioto River We fairly enter the
Waveny Sandstone formation fine quarrics
of that valuable lreeslone occurs on lands
owned by the company adjacent to the via
duct, from which the stone for the masonry
Of that structure is obtained, furnishing
courses 28 incEes deep, and stone Of any
+ desirable lenglh-this same rock as outlier'
or geological islands" we have also founc
upon the bill tops west Of Ohio Brush Creek
and used in our masonry within 13 miles o
Hillsborough.
The plan Of the Sciolo Vaduct, previous
to commencing the work, was submitted Il
the Hon. Board Of Public Works OF Ohio
under lhe 20lh section Of the General Rail
, road Law. and received their appreciation
East of the Scio,o Viaduct the line crosse
the very fertile river bottoms, upon the land
Of William Sargent, and the late Judge Reed
and enters the southwest corner Of the lowl
plat of Pike,on, the county sea, Of Pix
} County, a. the lhrly-sixth mile.
t Here extensive depo, grounds have beel
| secured with view of making il the cenlra
! depot and workshop Of the road; they ar
Q twenty acres in extent, situated upon beau
D dful gravel plain fronting on The Ponsmoul
and Columbus Turnpike road, adjoining III
0 town, and elevated sixteen feet above tn
0 level of the highes. foods ever known in tn
0 ScioIo River a, the viaduct.
S Leaving PIketon upon straight line 1
J. miles long (the longes. upon the roule,) III
line ascends the Beaver Valley, and crossin
!, the creek twice upon The .thirty.eighIh mil'
il al high elevation, with single spans of Is
n each, keeps thereafter upon the north side
i the valley encouniering one heavy sec,io
}, (No. 39,) and moderately heavy work f
o several miles, in crossing the lateral drain
!, Of Beaver, bu. finally gaining the unbroke
table land on the forty fifth miie, and with
}. very light graduation continues easiwar
,r crossing Beaver Creek, in an undua,ir
e plain, near Beavenown, third and las, tim
Is at very moderate elevation. with lhr
10 spans Of thirty feet eact--passing Liue Sc
olo with two spans Of thirty feet, and reac
ID ing the base Of the Lule Scioto hills a! Il
,e end Of The long straight line and beginnil
le Of the flly.frss mile.
10 Here we first meet with The rocks a
ID soil which mark the western margin Of !
of coal region OF Ohio, and In the lorInali,
ve geologically known as "tbe coal measure
,h our route continues hereafter 10 abe Oh