Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-04-19


constantand watchful care of its interests
DO the ann Of every one connected with Its
operations.
am, Sir, your obt serv't,
GEO. T. LEWIS, Receiver,
NJ. @. 4 L. r. r.
0rFIcR OF Assn ENGINEER, Il. Div.
MEMPHIS, GAINESVILLE & Lou. r. r.
CLARKsvIIE, Oct. 4th 1867.
Geo. z. Lepis, Esq, Receiver Of the M,
c. l.. r. R.-.Sr: Your letter of the
End inst, requesting a full report Of the con-
dition Of my Division at the time I took 1t
in charge; the quantity of earthwork,
trestling bridging, Sc, that has been done,
and the condition of the Division on the LIST
inst, has been received, and hereby make
the following report:
The Division begins at the State line and
ends near the west foot of Tennessee Ridge,
a distance of forty-three miles. took
charge of it on the list day of November,
1865. At that time, only the part of the
division between GAINESVILLE and the State
Line was in running order, and a portion Of
this was subsequently abandoned, owing to
the unsafe condition of Red River trestle =
the trains only running from the Fair ground
TO the State Line---a distance of eleven
miles
The road on the west side of the Cumber.
land was in much worse condition; The
first span across the river was Totally destroy
ed, having been burned during the war the
small bridge, spanning Water street, and
connecting with the main ONE was nateri-
ally Injured; the end being badly smashed
and torn by falling timbers. The draw was
not in working condition-the turning APP
paratus having been thrown off the circle,
and evidence Of decay in the whole super
structure was so apparent that no attempt
was made to turn 1t from tie rest piers, until
it was partially repaired. The permanent
span west of the draw was not in much bet
ter condition, and was not crossed by train
until it was strengthened by suspension rods
and additional bracing. The long line
of trestle (2,2oo feet acrose Cumberland
River bottom, also needed repairing braces,
posts, stringers, caps stills and ties, had rot
ted, and until they were replaced by new
ones, the trestle was not considered safe.-
The trestles along the whole line of the d.
vision, all required more or less repairs =
many of the timbers appeared sound, but on
boring into them, it was discovered that they
were rotten at depth of from one-half inch
TO two inches, the solid wood fibre being
only thin external shell.
: The Budds Creek trestls was much injured
by high water; out of ten spans on the east
side, only five were left standing; and two
out of four on the west side, were washed
away, also, the four girder bridges of fifty
: feet span each, together with the wooden
piers which rested on the top of the mason
ry, were also fUated of, and more or less
injured. The timbers in these bridges it was
supposed were nearly all sound, and that
with few additional pieces, they could be
used again; but upon a close examination,
it was discovered that the rot had set in,
and that it was necessary to replace them all
by new ones. Out Of the twenty-one bents
of the Aliens Branch trestle, only three
were lett standing; the rest were foated
from their position, and many of them torn
to pieces. Some of the timbers were used
in reconstructing the work. The four CIR.
der bridges Of fifty feet span each. connect
ed with this trestle, were much injured by
! the water /: many of the posts and braces Of
= the piers which supported them, were in bad
: condition, having rotted and detached them.
selves from the caps and sills-the water
here rose to the top of the stringers. :.
Palmyra bridge appeared in good condi.
!, ton, except few defective floor beams and
q ties and was considered safe until q more
q thorough examination was madei aftel
= which it was thought advisable to put thres
bents of trestle under it.
Between the bridge and the tunnel-a dis
, ance of few hundred feet, and on a deer
fill; one hundred and fifty feet Of track
was washed off the road bed and down the
side of the bank. In the tunnel and ap
proaches much material had washed on the
road bed, covering the track in east enc
}, of the tunnel, at one place, depth Of 81,
or eight feet. This fell from an opening
twenty feet long, in the roof, occasioned by
: a break in the the rocky strata above.
Between Cumberland River treste ant
PALMYRA, more or less material had washed
= in all the cuts--in many Of them, the tracl
: was covered up for a depth Of several feet a
the sides; and some of the banks vert
washed at the top, and reduced to half o.
their original width. The three trestle;
= across the deep hollows, below and within
one mile of lhs tunnel, were all foated from
, their positions, and many of the timber:
d washed away; several bents were torn from
!, the stringers and CARRIED off by The current
. The other trestles, east Of Cumberland City
:. and up to this point, were all more or les
damaged by the high water.
The girder bridge OF sixty feet span, a
; Grice's Creek, was thought to be in good or.
!, der; but after careful examination was
made It was deemed advisable to replace i
: by new one.
) The road between this creek and Cumber
land City--a distance Of one and a Quarter
miles, was much washed, the water under
mining the track and causing the embank.
!, ments in many places TO settle. This wa
likewise the case us far as the east foot Of tn,
: Ridge.
found Wells Creek bridge No. l, IL
! good condition, few floor beams and tie
only necessary to be removed. Bridge No
2, 1.-TWO girders of fifty feet span) on tn,
!, same creek, was washed away. The mid
die and east piers were gone, and the Yves
pier partly undermined. The channel of thu
{ creek at this point was entirely changed By
: the force of the current. . The wreck of the
bridges were lying a short distance below
the timbers rotted, and one of them entirely
, destroyed.
4 Bridge No. 3, the same in dimensions al
: No. 2; was foated from position, and th'
c middle pier undermined-a number of stones
!, falling into the stream. II would have beer
exceedingly difficult, if not altogether i'm
: practicable, to have repaired this pier.
mile and half west Of this point there wa
side wash Of one hundred and fifty feet In
= the bank, the track falling into the bed Of tn,
$ creek.
On Tennessee Ridge, there were formida.
BILE distractions on the road bed. In tn,
> two principal cuts, large quantity Of mate
! rial had accumulated on the track by slide;
! and disintegration, varying in depth from 0