The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-11-27
FROM the GrayviIIe, Illinois, 1ndepeno-
n..vv,,la and MaftOOn Railroad.

Granville and MattOOm haiiru@u'
The able Chief Engineer of this
road. Mr.. d. D. Kennedy, has made a
iengthv and full report of the surveys
of tbe experimental lines, estimate OF
cost Of construction. rolling stock, &C.,
from Olney to Nation. The report
Is highly interesting, and we regret
that It's great length preclndes us
from publishing it in full. We must
content ourselves with a very bret
abstract.
The route 10 through country ex-
tremely favorable-says the report
for the cheap construction OF the
road. there being no serious difhcui-
ties or expensive work, except at the
two crossings of Embarrass River and
one at Range Greek; these three
points requiring truss bridges. The
estimates are based upon grades OF
26 feet per mile, but Mr.. KENNEDY
recommends grades descending TO-
ward Evansville of 81 feet, and as
cending of rs feet per mile, q saving
in construction between NATION anu
Olney of $25, 900. A few, curves In
the road will be Oflarge radll; perhaps
none under 1900 feet, and more tnan
60 of the route will De st!algn1.
He recommends 6x6 cross yes two
feet apart. and best quality OF ,roD, 70
weigh 50 pounds TO the yar1. nls
reasons for so light rail- are, tnat the
ouality Of the iron will be better nrst,
cost less. and if, after the road is IN
oneration TO Evansville, the business
sbonld require heavier rail, this could
he nsed for sidings and branch roads
Mr.. Kennedy here gives statistics o.
the Philadelphia and Reading hail
road. and the Illinois Central II
proof of his position. -
He also recommends similar prln
ciple in the rolling stock, by havlne
light, well-built engines, and let then
pass oftener over the road and that a
eoon as part of the road is prepared
nut an engine or locomotive car Will
q capacity Of about forty passenger
and baggage on, and that could, o.
emergency, haul another car. A trail
of this kind could be run withou
any perceptible damage to the track
and at an expense of about $lz pc
dav. Locomotive cars Of this kline
were run for years on the PlttsDurg
Fort Wayne and Chicago road. 500
In regard to building, Mr.. hennee
dy's ideas are that as soon as there ]
sufficient amount of capital stock sub
scribed to authorize the putting Q
the road under contract, to do SC
Commence at some point, and let tn
work in small contracts, thereby saw
ing the cost of middle men; for What
ever distance you may have the fund
to complete it, with iron and rollin
stock, as soon as more means al
raised or more installments becom
due. extend the road. BY pursuln
this course, in a comparatively shol
time. by subscriptions and negotiatir
loans, the road could be completes
He thinks 20 miles of the road coul.
without any very great exertion, be
operation by the LIST of next Angus
and 10 more by October. "a. IA,
Another advantage in building
divisions, is, that no risk is run
having a lot of uncompleted work {
hand. If one half Of the road
completed and money cannot be DO
rowed. the completion is merely d
tanned; whereas, If all the funds q
expended in grading, and then q lo'
could not be negotiated, the whole i
vestment is lost.
The estimate of the cost of the 70;
from Olney to Nation, Is as follow
roew ~sTrErAe