Demoine courier., 1856-05-08
CHIEF ENGINEERS REPORT.

TO the PreStdent n DOuIu " L'''',
tors of the b. q. ~. n. Raifroad
q Company.
GENTLEMEN
The following statement OF the prog
ress of our Road since lis location IN o.
and of Ills pre-, emf condition, lsfrespec'
fully submitted:
The grading, bridging, and delivering
OF ICES ron Burlington 10 Oaumwa-was
lei to a number of contractors early IN
Maj, 1854. The work was immediate
!y commenced, and during the succeed
ing summer carried on with considera-
Sc energy. DISAPPOINTED in gening The
fumes for a'further Continuance
toccasioned BY the great money pressure
Of Is54-55) We were forced 10 suspend
The work as fast as existing contracts
would allow u. With the exception OF
some work Done on n f.. scattering sec
lions between Burlington and Mt Pleas
ant, the working Of tbs line WAS practl-
'caily abannouedib until August, lsE5,
whea your board vas enabled to enter
Into a new contract with Clark, llendEi /:
& Co, for The compilation Of lhe Road
as lar as Skuak riyeE. g3 dg"Fl sa.
4 Since then the grading uivthe R,adas
far as MI. Pleasant; with a few trifling
exceptions, has been completed, nearly
all the ties delivered, nboat len miles
Of track laid. reaching from the Mss
lssippi River 10 within abolt one mile
west Of Middletown, and one locomo-
live and four platform rars placed upon
the Rad. Two more loconotises, two
first class passenger cars. one baggage
car, six eight. wheeled box cars, ard ~
more platform cars have been contract.
ed for aud are about ready for delivery.
The whole of The iron reaching from
Burlington 10 Rome, is provided for, and
The road is expected to be opened by
The FIRST of June next. Beiweea Mount
pleasant and Rome the grading and bridg
Ing is ali lei, anG The sub CONTRACTORS are
al work on nearly every section.
On The tenth day OF February las, an
other contract was entered into with The
parties, 10 finish The Road from
River 10 Ouumwa, conditioned
upon the Counties of Jefferson d Wsp
lilo taking each SlQ0,OO0 Of additional!
stock in our Road.
As The Road under this contract must
be opened for traffic by lhe frat of JAN
uarr, 1867, the contractors have been
obliged lie anticipate the action Of SAID
Counties aud have entered i~nloNcon,racis
with responsible parties 10 build the
bridge a:toss Skunk River.
In accordance with the ,erins of the
lirst contracts, above mentioned. ,oui
Company had agfsed 10 furnish The con
tractors with The IL ~ porary righs Of way
rough :he Cny Of Burlington. In th.
endeayorto obtain il. il become soon OBJ
v:oas that il would be be true policy oi
The Coz. To get. VI possible. the perGis-
nent right of way; aud. ita the ex 'ep
lion M a few lots, am glad TO say. we
have bsenn able To make en,s
for such right OF way across all the pr
Property wilisin the city iimt..-
The ainouH.s agreed upon ate as !ol-
low!plank Rad Bridge. s22 $50. 90
Above :. $4,000
0sp g ~
r,aaa. &,sa seq $4,000
D ihis has been paid (,n.
cutting INTEREST," a}h IL 655 90
U nder litsg alon, 40 rs t' his 90
NV due (aboa'.) $500 90
Wes,of Burl,ng'ou, the anuants ARE
as follows: Nfa
p,n loo nts ass scz, =,
j. igalion. al GO 90
. her agreements for righ,. IF way III
county, amounting 10 $40 haze
been made. TIT on sccuunl If inability
Of The parties . o give lille, has mol, as
Ell, been paid.
A deep inleres, has been manifested in
the counties lying Wess, aud aloas the
conteth plated route OF our Raiiroad, be-
txeen The Des, Moines. and Mi,sou
to devise means for carrying our
Roar through to the Missouri riyer.--
The CouS.iss West Of Wapslio aie Gil
Ing up surprisingly fast, owing 10 the
grea, fertility and general desirable ness
o. The whole country Wesl OF @ !um wa.
and the lime undoubtedly must soon
come, when The strength and necessity
oil those %coun,ies will force our ROAD
into and through them. Indeed, | con-
slider that ihs time has already come.
and that il is high time iha. a more ,hof-
nugh exploration OF that pOrIioa of our
State for our Railroad purposes should
be made, and ,ha, our road shpuiG be
located there md The RICH, Of way be OBJ
tanned as 500 az possible. Considering
the extraordinary endeavors made by
ditferen. SAFES, both North ami South OF
US, 10 obtain the consent, from the Gener-
al Government, TO have the grea, Pacific
Road located !hrough their borders, i,
behooyes us 10 use all legitimate means
,ha, our own Road, which in the end
may show itself 10 bs the mos, desirable
o among all It's competitors, should no,
be overlooked in the grea' struggle fol
precedence. An exac! estimate OF The
cost, with a true statemant Of ihe grades
and curvi,y Of The Road is undoub,ely
the frs. step, and a. tho same lime o
the rimos. importance. A rapid survey
"A - HH lE&aa AHN .AIHa - EEL M