Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-01-24
citp duo stdtr affatrs,
W. W. BLACKFoRp's REPORT


ON TINS PHYSICAL FEATURES or the Ro,n
Jous R McD,xlEl. President Of the Ia. i r.,n
P,lroad Co: SIR: In obedience 10 Instructions rc
reiyed from you, have prepared and had engray ed
upon stone n map and profile OF the Virginia and Ten
nessec Railroad, which, together with a report con-
tlinng some facts of general interest connected with
the road herewith respectfully submit
An examination of the profile afford, matter Of
much interest showing as it does, the rise and fail
of the country which the road passes an il, Of
ovation above the level OF the sea 1t forms basis
to which the elevations o;manY adjacent points ot l.
tcrest my be referred afh with which surveys off flu
turc Improvements may he connected. gradually ex-
tending. in this way the knowledge Of Ii, eontour
ofthc country and facilitating greatly the e lmna-
tions of the goologiS'
Starting from Lynehburg, - feet above James Riv-
err and at elevation OF j2s feet above the 5 n the
road rises rapidly $50 feet more, and abolt : miles
from the city, attains the general level of Bedford
county, which it maintains for - miles Tha sum
nit of the Blue Ridge, IL miles from Lynchbnrp. i,
passed nj an elevation OF 291 feet lay mn ascent of
five miles OF grades exceeding feet To the mile
and then by gentle grades for miles more the
road fails 800 feet aud the Valley of Nlrgiuia
which is here drained by the Roanoke River The
Valley at this point IS, therefore little over 100 feet
above the Piedmont country, between iynchburg and
the Blue Ridge, aud 900 feet above the sea- Soon
after entering Montgomery county the road common
ces the ascent Of the Alletlan mountain, and the
summit, 81 miles from Lynchburg aud 2,ol9 feet
above the sea, i3 reached by an uubroken SO feet
grade for twelve miles.
We are now upon the level OF the grand plateau of
south western Virginia. As far rs Abingdon, the
country does not ft below this elevation except in
the narrow valleys Of some of the water courses and
is generally above it. 1t may be truly said that there
is western side To the Allegheny moun,.in We
pass from the eastern lter shed to the basin of
the Mississippi river and here occurs a remarkable
change in the vegetable growth of the country Lcav-
ing behind us the pine, sedge grass, and grca to-
bacco growing country Of the Valley and Piedmont
district, encounter the oak the maple, and the
ever present Kentucky blue grass of the graisng
gion.
After crossing New River the road rises aud falls
alternately through the country of Pulaski and por-
ton of Wythe but, just before leaving the latter
country, it passes Mt Airy ridge, the highest point
the road, elevation of go feet above the sea;
LOS feet above Bristol, the western terminus; and
2092 feet above Lynchhurg. 1t then enters the val
ley of Middle Fork o. llolston and gently regains the
general level of the country which it preserves far
rs Abingdon and then falls 400 feet to the Tennessee
line
At the Glade Spiing depot - miles east of Abiug-
don, the Salt Works Branch tnrns of towards the
North, rising 90 feet to cross Walker mountain,
and descending thence iG6 feet TO the Salt Works and
Plaster Banks.
To convey "A better idea of the rise and fail of the
country, give list Of the elevations above the
of some prominent points along the line: