The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-06-19
I THE GREAT VALLEY RAHROAD!!
Engineer Randolph's Report in Full !!
THE woNDRoUs RESOURCES OF THE
GREAT VALLEY,
The Shortest and Best through Route
to the South, Southwest and West.

baltinsore's Opportunity WI sheaccepl
It,?
BALTIMORE, MD,
Jan. 18th 1867. b
j. W. GARRETT, ESQ, i
President Bait & Ohio Railroad,
Sir lin compliance with your instruc-
tons Corpsscf Engineers was organized
for the survey of the Valley Railroad in
Virginia, under the command Of Richard
Randolph, assisted by Charles T. Mason
and W.. N. Boiling whose professional ex-
perienee had been gained, in part on the
location and construction Of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad, West Of Cumberland
the Covington & Ohio Railroad and the
Southside Railroad respectively, and all
having personal acquaintance with the
country through which the survey was to
be made.
The Instrumental examination Of the
route was commenced in the middle Of
June, 1866, by this Corps, who have ex-
plored with care and diligence every
route which Nature has offered for the
location Of this Road, in accordance with
the requirements Of its Charter, at the
same time, much observation and recon-
noissance and some instrumental surveys
were made, of routes which would be
available, having in view only the scien-
tifc questions Of aproper location.
Harrisonburg, the point at which the
surveys were commenced, is the peresent
terminus of the Manassas Gap Railroad,
which crossing the Blue Ridge strikes the
Valley at Strasburg then turning at right
angles :pursues the course Of the North
Fork of the Shenandoah to its head =
This Road has been located with the ex-
press design that it should constitute part
Of route through the Great Valley of
Virginia.
A line was started from Harrisonburg
which followed the Valley Of Cooks
Creek until it passed the town Of Dayton,
whence it was continued to and across
the North River at the village of Bridge
water, thence following the Long Glade
Run Gin very direct and favorable Val
ley) to its head and to the summit Of the
ridge near village called Spring Hill.
This summit is SO near Middle River and
SO high above it, that to get down with
a reasonable grade, would cause so great
DETECTION from the course to Staunton
that the line was abandoned
IF the route had not been restricted to
Staunton, this line would have been con-
tinued by Middle River to the summit be-
tween it and Walkers Greek and down
this Greek to the same River.
A line was then started for the mouth
of Lewis Creek, Con which creek Staun-
ton is situated, which would coincide
with line having for its. object the best
route to Salem This line commencing
at Harrisonburg, followed the smooth Val
ley Of Grassy Creek, Ga branch Of Cooks
Greek, until it turned from the proper
direction, where there was very low and
narrow ridge between it and Pleasant Run,
the line passed through this ridge and
down the Valley Of Pleasant Run, to.
within a short distance Of its mouth,
where it was necessary to pass through a
spur which had detected from its course,
and into the Valley Of North River, cross
ing it ] below MtCrawford, which is on
the Valley Turnpike, this, a distance Of
81 miles, is less expensive for the con-
struction of the Road than any other
section Of the same length on the whole
survey.
After this crossing, the course Of North
River was SO distorted, that it was neces-
sary to make too more crossings before
leaving it, requiring three bridges in less
than, four miles, but there is solid founda-
ton near the surface Of water, and album
dance Of building material at the site Of
each Bidge ,.s
From the last crossing Of North river
to Middle river, the line passed at the
base Of range of hills, which extend in
the same general direction as the River,
which is detected back and forth BY very
steep hills, two and three hundred feet
above the water, to distances varying
from one to six miles from the line
Through this region the length Of the
River is four times that of the line Of
survey.
The country crossed here is a plateau
having the appearance Of a river bottom,
but which is deeply cut BY small tributa-
ries, which fall rapidly after leaving the
foot Of the range of hills, which the up
land has but slight inclination to the
River. The Valley turnpike and the
Keezletown road, (once the great wagon
road to Tennessee,) occupy nearly the
same ground which would be selected for
the Railroad, and all pass near Mt. Sid
ney, and the Willow Fountain. The
character of the River course, first desert
bod 1nrevenfs the lnnatinn Of fha road 10