Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1854-09-16

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io uw pnruprN A>D Dum.myra, of ur buo>r
CmNmutp $40 Enu Ru Ro,u DuurA>,t
GruH,IrH ,-l have No honor u submitting ur you
consideration, ho following Report iho operations oi uo corp
of engineers acting uu'urmy dr.uon from hc date o tLo
commencement lp The present times
AgUcaby 90 the instructions received from You uu ho l6
day Of Jolly last "to make such experimental survco OF W
proposed of hc Tyrone aud Ccorfcd Railroad 10 dem
ouswle, not only s entire pucuUty, but To enable You
from instrumental examination to corroboroe the many state
which have heretofore been advanced relative ga
superiority d leading and important line o. communicated
between Pholc pho the Pcnusy yhaula Railroad, oad Dh
great chain or Lakes which have their acknowledged safes
horbor Ede' proceeded forthwith 10 organize an elccn
corps and commenced active operations few days alter upo
the summit Of the Allegheny mountain
10 order that You may more clearly understand the natur
well as he OF our explorations would respectfully cal
your attention. fJSt the different lines traced and
veyed,gy!ng brief description Of each aud every
emned-and then offer few general remarks which huy
suggested themselves to my mind, anticipating the Iutur
profit and success Of the enterprise which you associated
The summit chosen for passage Of the great Aeghen
range, is the depression IN the mountain formed by the wafer
ol "Emghs rum tributary OF the "Lie Bald Eagle, on h
east, and "Iou run, branch Of the "Moshannon, III
west, and IS generally known as "Emlgh's Gap.'
This summit has been ascerained by surveys To
the lowest depression known the Allegheny Mountain beu
800 feet lower than Bais Cap the summit the Aeghen
nit Of the Pennsyly Railroad
From careful reconnaissance Of the ground in its mmcdat
ncghborhood, found combine many advantages,
present such remarkable facilities for the departure of the lin
either side that, apart from lis being inserted point
your charter, adopted decidedly the most nauro
pOss through which reach the OF The usquehanna
From the summit OF tho mountain to Tyrone city, h
Pennsylvania Railroad number OF lines surveyed,
number of routes examneda however, having in yjeN
the adoption OF the ghes possible gradient which could
used in overcoming the total elevation.
The "drst route to which attention called and wc
may be considered part o the main line of operations
commenced at the summit and descending along the slope
the mountain the south side of mghs run passed roun
the spur between and the Little Bald Eagle, and srkn
very favorable ground Williams" calder
run, descended along the south side Of this the Bal
Eagle valley mile above Tyrone city, and thence pursue
this valley to It's Intersection with the Pennsyvan Railroad
the above named Station The total elevation Of the SUNNI
above this point asceaned 10 be ll43 feet capable OF
reduction of so or 90 feet by a summit cu.
A second route examined, which dvergcd from lb
first at the crossing of Wlams rum and extending aon
the slope OF the mountain 10 the valley Of Snkng rum de
cended this stream 10 its intersection with Route No. l. abo
two thousand feet above Tyrone city.
''thtrd" further extended "Hutchnson's run"
small branch OF the Little Juniata" and "ourh' comprise
the route generally known the Hickory Bottom" whic
was lavoroby mentioned by Mr.. William E. Morris, in h
report upon Railroad from MIesburg TO Phlipsbuc an
which, from statements and representations made me- dee
ed II eXpedent as well as advisable TO examine
Subsequently, other lines between these point
to ascertain the praccaby Of reducing the gradient below
maximum found necessary upon the completion OF the
Of Route No. /.
The first above described was found to present SUD
ror facilities for the construction Of Railroad with max
mum gradient OF 50 feet per me It's throughout liz
upon ground of the most favorable nature whie almost emit
freedom from deep raynes high bridges and embankmen,
would render the cost per me materially less than the ayera
sums usually expended our first class roads The on
objection which could possibly be urged against the adoption
this route by those who regard eepness Of the gradient
The true source of the failure Of such an ente
prlse is, the maximum TO which it would be necessary
resort IN order the total elevation the nouna
but when consider that this gradient lies wholly in the dire
hon the heavy tonnage and only used in this one nsanc
ITS adoption does not become impolc iadysed as the
would at first thought, imagine.
Amaxmum gradient of 80 feet per mile reduced uDoD cuy
proportional TO their ad may justly be considered mojera
in comparison with those adopted upon several of our first ca
roads,-a Of them located and constructed under the dire
lion OF our abIes and most distinguished Engineers
The Pennsylvania Railroad, the noble and success
enterprise projected, their mountain SUNNI
with gradient o 80 feet per mile, and the lmmcnse busne
which now sweIIs the monthly receipts on the road prove
beyond dispute, It's full capacity the many heavy
mands made upon it by western shippers
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad another great avenue
tween the East and West gradients of lOj feet Der m
upon both sides OF Laurel Mountain and III feet per mile
both directions, upon thirty miles OF their road The Weste
Railroad OF MASSACHUSETTS,, have adopted s3 feet per mile
the New York and Erie Railroad 50 feet per mile in be
directions
OIhcr instances might be cited, shelving that gradients ru
nng up as high as lao feet per mile have been adoped
several important roads, but the above deemed sufficient
demonstrate, that the recommended for vour ro
wl bear favorable comparison with its highly important allie
is true, that the effective power locomotive is ncrcas
or diminished, according to the gradens-bu as the dia
ence between gradients rising 90 feet and so feet Ger mile
pectvey, slight and will compensate for the necessa
increase in distance and cost there other important cons
ernons which should be weighed the choice between the m
would strongly recommend the adoption of the gcs possl