The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-14

ridge Is adheTed TO closely until we reacn the
Southey1 Railroad at Spears Landing, five
miles east Of Brandon. From the valley of
Brush yscreek to this point the work is heavier
than .f3verage" Our line pursuing the ridge,
and the s. r. r. crossing the same with n
deep ctlk involves bridge over their cut ~
above taeir track. The same ridge is TO-
lowed, passing Mrs. Phinukane's and Bob
BROWNE to Bats, where the Line falls into
the rdse road from Brandon to Raleigh, and
pursuesit to the eight and half mile post.
Here q leaves the ridge and runs down the
western prong of Camphells creek, known as
Wolf Creek With the use of our maximum
grade, the line in distance of three miles de-
sends with ease to the level lands of Camp
BELLS creek valley, which it follows as long as
the direction is favorable, to point some three
miles fisftheast of Cato Springs thence east
ward iscruises over to Brushy creek-a lead
ing tributary of Clear creek,-th dividing
ridge presenting no difficulty in crossing and
not even requiring the maximum grade. Pur-
suing Brushy creek to its confluence with
Clear creek, we cross the preliminary line
in the valley of the latter near Burnham's
Mill The flats of Clear Creek here merging
into those Of Strong river afford US great play IN
alignment Rocky creek, also, on the south
side Of Strong river, being remarkably direct
and having considerable width Of bottom, at
fords equal facilities in that respect. Thus
long straight line with easy grades is obtained
to the western fork Of Rocky creek, called Little
Rocky, grading up which with our maximum
for two. and half miles, weare conducted
to ththigh dividing ridge between Strong and
LeafsRive waters. Hays Mill Creek, you
will 1emember, was found to be very unsatis-
| factoE. foche's creek, by reason Of its in
| creasd length and besides heading in the
rde st<a level SO lower, does the work
/ Ct s,1k- involves long heavy cut through
I the iidge. AID here, would remark, is to
be found, near the head Of this creek, mex
haustibe quarries of rock. This rock is of a
desirable character for masonary, and is only
met with here throughout the whole route.
Its value cannot be too highly estimated.
The line from this point connects naturally
with the middle fork Of Okatoma, known as
Haw Branch, which it descends at grade
nearly to its connection with the main
stream. The valley of Okatoma, being all
that could be desired for railroad route, and
the preliminary survey up it fulfilling all the
requisites for an approximate location, |
transferred the party to its mouth for an at
tack upon the high ridge between Leaf and
Black creeks. After running numerous ''trial''
lines up to the head of Sandy Run, point
much lower than the one previously passed
through was discovered, and by uniting the
valleys of Nixon, Grantham and Cross
cIeeks-passing from one to the other at
marked depressions in the spurs dividing
| them-a tolerably fair profile was obtained,
and straight line for the whole distance
passing through all the selected points.
| am satisfied this is the best line the country
! is susceptible Of | ommitted at the proper
| time and place 10 rncsatian. that at the second
meeting of your body in August, when this
work Of Revision was endorsed, sur, ey was
| also ordered to begin at the mouth of Okato.
ma, continue down the valleys of bowie and
/ Leaf, thence across the ridge to Black creek,
uniting with the first line, where it would
most naturally fall into it. now suspended
! the work OF Revision to make this survey
as It would conduct me to the point | next
| desired to examine.
This survey was conducted as indicated and
desired at the time it was ordered. Crossing
/ tie two ridges at the chosen points and at
| both found aohnliy imprGcticaRe. The point
selected to pass from Leaf to Black creeks is
! but one mile removed from the river, and was
/ doubtless 50 chosen because of its proximity
! to ia most natural error of ineXperience.-
/ 4 branch only of | y miles in length led W
to this high elevation Of $50 feet above the val,
| ley. to Mr. Wilday's house. You will at once
see the impracticability of overcoming such q
! rise IN distance so short with grade restrict
j ed to 30 feet to the NILE and this difficulty is
greatly increased by the chala cter Of Davis
creek, on the south SIDE of the ridge which
for a very considerable distance runs off fiat
! from the head, thereby frightening the al,
ready huge summit cut Pursuing this last
named stream to near its embouchure into
Black creek, the line passes over an elevated
| table land to the latter. crossing it at Lam
bert's Ferry, thence directly across the val
| ley and up the branch, which the public road
ascenls, and climbs to the dividing ridge be-
tween Black creek AID Beaver Dam, a large
| tributary Of the former. Here is encounter
| ed the second impractcable point the rise be-
| ing 100 feet for distance of only "a mile
! From this point ! followed the ridge down
the Mississippi City Road to the Beaver Dam.
This ssas also found to be impracticable, but a
Cir grade line is attainahle down long branch
running parallel with this ridge. From Bea-
yer Dam, the line passes up Nelson's Creek
quite favorably) to the main dividing ridge
between Black and Red creeks; thence grad
ing down the east fork of Flint creek,it unites
in some 3 miles with my previously proposed
revision of the original line. This line was
well conceived in directness (being shorter
than the other) though the Engineering diff
culties which had plainly foreseen from the
chart found so reliable in former instances,
were not fully appreciated. | do not say that
a railroad route in the Leaf river valley could
not be had, if the suitable point for getting out
was sought for:-for instance, have very lit
tie doubt of Myers creek being capable Of
supporting fair grade lne thence, by run
ming down Chany's creek to Black, passing
over that valley to Beaver Dam-thence up
its southern branch and across the head of
Bluff creek to the middle fork of Flint creek,
a very fair line might in all probability be OBJ
tanned. This would, however, be quite cir
cuitous route, increasing the distance materi-
ally and avoiding not single summit On
the line as run, one more summit is added on
the first preliminary survey, to-wit: the ridge
between Black creek and Beaver Dam, nor is
there much more valley added on this route,
which was the main argument for it.
For considerable distance from the mouth
Of Okatoma the valley Of Bowin is common
to both routes, and the l.. R. R., crossing the
whole Of that beautiful flat Gin every respect
equal to that of Leaf river) in which the first
line keeps for a considerable distance.
By reference to accompanying maps, the
comparison can easily 10 made.
The Leaf river route being disposed Of /
resumed the revision at the head of the west
fork of Flint creek, which our original line
left to the east as it came up between that
nd fba ,uotbar ctr Tho
readily effected into the valley of Flint Creek,
Gall the branches on the North side of these
leading streams, being Enthusiastically long
and favorable as has been before observed, on
the South, they are short and unfavorable.
The line with easy grades and fair align
ment, now reaches Red creek valley, Crossing
it near where the city road does.) The same
difficulty is experienced in attaining the ridge
on the south side, that we met on the first
line, owing to the very short branches. TAX
ing the ridge at the most favorable point, very
heavy work is unavoidable for several miles,
even to the junction with the first line which
was made at the angle in the ridge where the
first line DETECTED to the west.
1t is difficult to decide between the respec-
tive merits of these two lines, short OF a locq-
ton test; the first being = mile the shortest,
the SecOnQ HIT CTeeh IOuIe) presenting
much lighter grading and grades. The loca-
ton as exhibited on maps, puTsues the latter.
Although so near the sea-board, for want of
a fixed terminus there, had to suspend any
further operations South; and l will here re-
mark that the location for the first twenty
five miles will be in a great measure influenced
by said terminus.
There being still one point left did not feel |
fully satisfied upon, we turned our steps |
Northward as we would have done under any |
The point alluded to, is the
descent from the Ridge to Black Greek on the
irst line. This line was revised over same
stream Bounds Branch. 1.-THE result of
which satisfied me that that was the only IA
,orable route to grade down from the ridge
The developments made by these resisions
net my most sanguine expectations, in point
# Arguments, curves and grades-great adj
-antages being obtained over the trial lines.
l have thus circumstantiated in my delinea-
ion, knowing that large portion of your
,ody and the stockholders were familiar with
II the localities.
The task that was assigned me being now
and finding myself due east of the
cad OF Wolf river, l determined to strike
ut from that point and ride the main ridge {
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