The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-03-14
Engineer Department, Gulf and Ship
Island Railroad Company.
JACKSON. November 14th, 1859.

10 the FTeSldeHt anu Ooufu " Dt'ttt"e O1D
and Slip Island r. Il. Co:
Gentlemen that detailed &C
count Of the operations in this department
may not be uninteresting but more likely de-
sirable and looked for, respectfully present
the following report
Perceiying an earnest desire on the part of
many of your body to see the field operation
start without delay | organised, as early as
practicable, corps, and with party and camp
eauipage reached Mississippi City the first of
May-two weeks after my appointment. Your
Special Committee appointed to locate the
Southern terminus, promptly met me at the
Sea Coast for that purpose, but thought it ex-
pejient to defer action in the matter. 4 point
twelve miles north Of Mississippi City, known
Is Pcayune Springs, was by the Committee
made the Initial point Of the surveys with in-
structions to take the air line to Canton for
the base line. a survey thus restricted. and
with the aid of l.atourelFS Scctoned Map
which deliniateS the topography and drainage
of the country with remarkable accuracy
superseded in a measure, the necessity Of a
reconnaissance, which usually precedes sur
vey, an6 is under all ordinary circumstances
| desirable. For the purpose of bringing up tide
water levels, and to connect my work with the
| Gulf chained and leyelled the intervening
! distance between the assigned initial point and
| the Sea Shore first, however, making a ira
| verse of the latter six and half miles east Of
| Mississippi City and two and half west
! Upon the representation of parties long
resident in the country, that the surface was
| level or nearly so, for considerable distance,
beginning at Picayune Springs, pushed the
air line for some Is miles down to the valley
Of Red Creek-in descending to which the
heaviest work on our whole line is encounter
! ed-.and the non adaptation of the country to
/ air Ifne locations clearly dem0fstrataf fg-
tracing my steps to the initial point, situated
on the ridge dividing tho waters of Okla
| Chambola on the westward from Tchula
Cabaufa on the east the survey was there
after conducted in accord tnce with the pecu-
liar Typographical features of the country pur-
suing this ridge to its luncturc with the
main ridge making round from Pascag0ula,
the line descends to the valley Of Red Creek
by means Of one of the ten-milc branches. As
before observed, the result was uBavorable,
but the route not impracticable. Crossing
Red Creek, near Brantley Bonds bridge, we
ascend the Spur ridge between Flint creek
on the east-one Of the main tributaries of
| Red creek,-the Main creek on tie west, and
at the head of the former strike the dividing
ridge between Red and Black creeks, which is
followed with favorable grades and alignment
to the head Of bounds branch-immediately
in the air lne-grading down which with our
maximum for four miles, involving quite
heavy work, the valley of Black creek is
reached, in which the line continues on highly
favorable ground, near the head Of Sandy
Run, long tributary of Black creek, with an
equally favorable surface, where commences
the ascent to the high level of the dividing
ridge, between the waters of Black creek and
Bowie river; from this point the greatest
difficulty was experienced in reaching the
! valley Of Bowie-a fall Of 200 feet
The streams leading TO it are short and an
favorable in direction IA Characteristic feature
of all the branches on the south side Of these
Southern streams.
Deen.Ing it the true policy To 20 ahead. y
not knowing what Obstacles might occur in
aliylacc, to den'"nd higher rate o. gradients
than those SO trnestly desired, and which
the natural PRONE of the country might force
us to use, after making thorough cxami.
nations, in view Of subsequent rcvision>. the
instrumental work proceeded up Bowie tC
the confluence Of Okatolna, whose beautiful
valley, for the first, favored our course for any
valley from mouth to head, distance OF forty.
five miles and coinciding throughout ,ts
whole extent, most remarkably with the all
line. With this long ard gradual rise. the
ridge between Strong river and the Leaf
river waters, though very bish. was easily at
tained-not so favorably descened, however
on the other side
Hays Mile Creek, at that tine, impressed
me as most favorable, but the result was
otherwise than what | had anticipated. Upor
accommodating the country, another and bet
ter stream was discovered and reserved for the
| revision.
| Continuing up Strong river, coming near
Kennedy's ford and thence up Cleer creek, nc
| impeachment is met with, until at the head Of
the latter stream, where heavy summit cut
is required, and the line forced over a tortuous
ridge with deep rayine, making down abruptly
from the crest.
This character of country was found TO
/ continue to the head of CampbelFs creek
! some four miles,-where | expected to fall on
| the ridge between Tumbaloo and Edacusha.
| Finding, however, that the heads of Campbells
| creek and EdacuSha passed each other for so
| great distance mot so diliniatcd on the map,
and that the desired ridge could not be attain
| ed without bad courses, involving great sacri-
| flee of distance, the line was forced to take
| down one of the short branches of Edacusha,
| exhibiting work beyond the capacity Of any
reasonable grade rigid reconnaissance in
| dicated the amendment which will be rferred
| 10 in my notice Of the revision.
| In the valley of Edacusha, the Southern
| Railroad was crossed some three miles west
of Pelahatchie Depot, from which point the
! line stretches away in an air line for eleven
miles, passing over an undulating country,
presenting average" work near where Cen
tenary College was first located, through Nc
Rae's prairie, crossing Pelahatchie creek near
the Stump Bridge, and with the same course
continues our favorable ground to the ridge
between Pelahatch'e and Pearl river At the
village Of Pelahatchie, situated on said ridge
it defects slightly to the east, and is contnu
ed in another long tangent Of fifteen miles to
its Northern terminus, the town Of Canton,
skirting in its course the northeastern edge Of
Barnes prairie, crossing Pearl river near
Gooches landing, and two miles south Of
jacksonville. The ridge dividing Pearl river
from Big Black is crossed near the.residence
OF Mr.. Shaw, from which point the line &C.
sends with ease to the low grounds Of Bear
creek, and with the highest character of work
enters the town Of Canton at the common de-
pc. of the two roads already there.
REVISED SURVEY.
The first preliminary survey was completed
on the 18th Of July, when, disbandng the
negro force, l adjourned to the office to pre-
pare maps and profiles, &C., for exhibition of
the work done, at the approaching meeting of
your body. Although the time was very
limited--only two weeks was ready with
fharr at tha Gao l.. IL 4
Presuming that the surveys would be extend
ed, prepared no report, but gave a verbal
synopsis Of the line as traced presenting its
good and bad points-the former predominant
ing. | recommended that it tc revised
throughout its whole extent
My views were endorsed by your body, and
as soon as q party could be re-organized and
the health of my assistants sufficiently re-
cruited, again took the field. for the work of
Revision. And here should be false to nv
SELF and unjust to my corps to omit to men
ton Oh their hearty CO operation, untiring
energy and wonderful endurance during the
long campaign of six months, embracing the
whole summer - the recollections of its I'M
precedented heat and draught must yet be
fresh in your minds.
The notes of the preliminary suryey-now
transferred to maps and protiles-having
placed me in full possession of all the CONTROL.
ing features Of country traversed, together
with strict reconnaissance Of all critical points
already alluded to, l was enabled to establish
the required number Of grades and curya-
lures.
The location line," traced on accompany |
ing maps, in carmine, has been predicated on n |
maximum grade of 81: 60 per mile (the |
same as on the SETON of the n. o.. & GIN.
R. between jackson and Canton), a little |
more than half-a-foot per hundred feet, and
the curves in q radii of 5,730 feet and up-
wards. And here, in this connection, deem
it not improper to quote an extract from the
report of distinguished engineer, Major
Clark, First Chief Engineer of the n. O. and
Jackson Road. In allusion to the subject of
grades, hesays: Therecap be no doubt that
the lower the grades of a road are, the
cheaper will be the cost of working it but
there is always limit, which suits best the
profile of the country through the road passes.
md any departure from this grade must be at
Tended with an additional expenditure, SO that
he adoption of lower rate Of inclination be-
comes more question of france than of en-