Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1858-10-09
[From the Sugar flAHter.]
EXTENSION OF THE CROSSE TETE
RAILROAD.
j. V. Durable, Esq,
President 3. r., G. r and 0. e. e. ca.

President B. t., G. r. and 0. e. e. Co.
SIR: Having completed the survey fo
the extension of your Road from TIN
Crosse Tete to the A~tehafalaya, in &C
cordance with my instructions, viz: t
run an air line as nearly as PRACTICABLE
in the direction Of Alexandria, | have
the honor to report briefly as follows:
have had a Sectional Map prepared
drawn upon a large scale, showing the
exact positions of the lines as traced
upon the ground, with the names of the
landed proprietors, position of buildings,
and everything essential for a final and
determinate location of the road. Also
q profile of the route surveyed, and the
kinds and quantities of work computed
for each mile. The length Of the line
surveyed, is just twenty-six miles from
the present terminus Of the Road to the
Atchafalaya, at a point between the
mouth Of Cow-head and Muscle Bayous,
which are but two hundred yards apart,
wheae they empty into the Atchafalaya.
The State Road now in course Of ton
struction from Morganza to Opelousas,
strikes the Atchafalaya at the same
point.
The first line runs back from Crosse
Tete on the line dividing Mrs. Dickin-
sons and DR.. CampbelPs lands, to the
back line of the lots, being a distance
of 59-lO0 miles; thence I projected a
| straight line to the most westerly bend
of Bayou Fordoche, on the plantation of
R. j. Dunbar, Esq. This line occupies
the middle ground between the Crosse
Tete and Maringouin Bayou, passing
back OF the improved lands of Mr..
Irwin and Mrs. Woolfork, and crossing
the Maringouin on the plantation of the
Messrs. Observation-Disclosures running ON
at an average distance of from one-half
to three-fourths of a mile back of the
sugar mill Of David Barrow, Esq, and
| crosses the State Road about two miles
west of Livonia; running IN thence for
the further distance of about two miles,
it strikes an extensive swamp, which
terminates this line. I was forced to
Offset to the right or east one-lialf mile,
to avoid this obstruction. Length of
the line or second tangent is just thir-
teen miles. From this point / ran a
line to the bend of the Fordoche alluded
to. Length Of this third tangent, two
21-1oO miles.
The next line extends up the Fer
doche, to a point one-half mile beyond
the draining machine Of the Messrs. Al
len, passing two hundred yards to the
right of the draining machine on the
back line of the uncultivated grounds
length of line four 2s-l00 niles
From this point | ran a straight line to
the Atchafalaya, passing just back of
the cleared lands Of Mr.. Downing and
through the Ballyhuck plantation be-
longing to Mr.. VIM. 7. Moore. just
after crossing the Ballyhuck Bayou, we
encounter the swamp or overaowed
lands of the Atchafalaya; the length of
o%verhowed land is two and one-fourth
miles, the deepest ovraow IN the line is
seven feet, taking the flood mark of
1858. / could not obtain a cross section
Of the Atchafalaya, owing to the high
water, but obtained the width of the
river by triangulation, which ! made
but 100 feet. A bridge here would be
required to be about 100 feet long
probably this is al good a point for
bridging the river as any that can be
obtained.
Whole cost of road without buildings
and equipments, 5000, lo2 90.
Cost per mile Of road, $8,042 90.
B. FOIsD.
PosrAL.-The Postmaster General has
lrla1 4Lo+ sc D,,c@poact nyo do not rive