The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-06-19


Mill, two miles below where the Valley
turnpike crosses, from which point how
ever, the county can be crossed in any
direction it was found that the most ad
vantageous, was direct line to Staunton
crossing Lewis Greek about one mile be
low the Virginia Central Railroad Depot
and coinciding with that Road while pass
ing through tno town.
Lexington being the next point in The
route determined by the Charter-Twt
lines were projected to that point, they
being the only ones suggested BY the to
biography Of the;Country.
The first followed the Valley Of Lewis
Greek to its head, it was found to rise
rapidly (requiring grades Of 80 feet pei
mile) to the top Of the ridge, which sep
arates the waters Of South River, from
these Of Middle River this ridge was fol
lowed, with frequent undulations unit
the head Of Hayes Greek was reached
this creek was decended and followed al
far as Brownsburg, requiring great COW
allure, heavy grades and expensive work
the line then crossing a ridge between
Hayes Greek and Back creek, leaving the
latter near its mouth at. Cedar Grove, fol
lows the slopes Of the hills Of the North
River Of the James, a stream whose high
and and jutting cliffs of rock would cause
the most costly work, great curvature O
line and loss Of distance, and which was
abandoned at the first point possible, By
tunnelling the hill which separates it from
Mill Creek, then following the more ia
vorable ground sloping towards Mill Greek
crossed the North River of the James, al
the perpendicular bluff which guards the
entrance Of Woods Creek. following neal
the walls Of the Virginia Military Insti-
6tute at Lexington. 81
Thesecond route. if starting from Staun-
ton, would turn to the East and lay at the
base Of two small mountains Bessie
Bell and Mary, Grey for two miles, until
those hills were cleared and heslopes so1
Christian i Greek reached. This distance
would be at right angles to the general di-
rection, and consequently an entire loss
Taking it for granted that if this route
was adopted, the distance Of two miles
might be near enough to comply with the
terms of the Charter. the line was com.
mencedat Middle river at Cline's Mill and
direct course taken which crossed Lewis
Greek, three miles below Staunton, and
passing to the East Of the Mountain, Mary
Grey, proceeded along the slopes of Chris
tians Greek, and at the base Of Chest
nut Ridge, with a light and constantly as
,cending grade to Greenville, where Chris
tian's Greek and the South River are no
thing more than brooks, separated by a
low and narrow ridge. IF the Valley
Railroad is to start at Harrisonburg, the
line of survey as here described between
that town and Greenville, isthe best which
the Country affords, if the comparison were
confined to Grades, Curves, distance and
cost.
The grades and curves on this line, as
far as the head of the James River, a
distance of forty two miles, would be the
same as those establishe1on the Manassas
Gap Railroad between Strasburg and Har-
risonburg, minimum radius of curvature
400 feet, maximum grade ascending
West So feet per mile, ascending East 80
feet per mile.
From Greenville, the line followed the
South River of the Shenandoah to its
head, near which place is the head Of
the South River Ct the James, which pur-
sues direct course for twenty miles, de-
scending $50 feet to its junction with the
North River Of the James. This line, a
grade Of 81 feet per mile, and reached an
elevation of 1880 feet A. NJ. Z. at the
summit. Fit had not been necessary to
pass near Lexington, this line would have
followed prong Of South River, called
Poor Greek, to a summit one mile east Of
this, which was observed with the Level
and estimated to be 30 feet lower; this is
without doubt the lowest point in the
ridge crossing the Valley, and separating
the waters of the Shenandoah and the
James. Lexington, not being on this
route, the survey was continued to the
head of Mill Creek, which, beginning it's
descent much closer to the river, falls with
great rapidity to its mouth, one mile be-
low Lexington, where the level of the
water is 9l0 feet above Mid Tide. The
irregular hillsides of this stream were fol-
lowed with great deviation from the course
of the stream, to maintain a grade Of
over 80 feet per mile, to the same cross
ing Of the North River of the James,
as that of the Brownsburg line, showing
a profile Of great inequalities.
The two lines leading to Lexington are
united at that place, from thence the
survey proceeds to Buchanan, the next point
determined by the charter, and which is
located, is the only passway Nature has
provided for the route to Salem. After
leaving Lexington, the first formidable
Typographical feature is Buffalo Greek, the
route to that stream by the Valley Of
Woods Greek, being very easy and direct,
but here are encountered the same steep
and interlocked Hills, which characterize
all the streams crossing the Great Valley.
The profles ofsthe crossing Of Buffalo
Creek and Valley, although showing very
heavy work, is much more favorable than
was hoped for on the reconnaissance.
The line then passes to the Valley Of
Broad Greek, in which lis located the
plank road to Buchanan, this was follow
edto its head where the country inadvance
becomes nothing more than the slope. of
the Short and the Purgatory mountain,
whose base is washed by the james River.
On the side of this mountain rises Cedar
Greek, which, after uniting two branches,
coming from opposite directions in a
course parallel with it, tumbles with
great rapidity to the river, through a re
zion of caverns end cascades. and pass