The Portland daily press., 1868-10-21
The Portland, white Mountains and
Ogdensburg Railread.
FAVORABLE REPORT OF EXPERIENCED ENGI-

The FOEtlauus nsht HhOohtahms ahW
Ogdensbnrg Railroad.
FAVORABLE REPORT OF EXPERIENCED ENGI-
NEERs.
We copy from the Argus the following cor
respondence which will be found of great in :
terest to the friends of the railroad through
the Notch of the White Mountains:
SOUTH WINDHAM, Oct. 10, 1868.
Editor Of the Eastern Argus:
Having lately learned, very much to nv
surprise. that it is asserted by some parties in
Portland that / entertain doubts about the
praticabili;y of constructing successfully
working line of railway through the Notch Of
the White Mountains, hasten to again record
my positive conviction of its entire feasibility.
Not only do / from my own twenty odd
years experience as a civil engineer upon rail-
roads, pronounce it an absolutely practicable
and feasible route, but in confirmation OF my
position IN this matter send you Tor puohca-
cation letter received by me from DEM. n.
Latrobe ESQ, the widely known engineer VINO
located superintended the construction and,
for many wears after its completion, had charge
ofthe Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
Knowing the high standing of Mr. Latrobe,
as one of our most eminent civil engineers,
and his relation TO that great Western rail-
way across the Allegheny Mountains, so close
ly analogous to the projected Portland and
OgdensDurg Railway, wrote to him previous
TO submitting the report of the reconnaissance
Ilaue ny MI SudS. y. NrAeS ana mySelf IN
August OF last year But, as his letter eX-
plains, his absence from the country delayed a
reply TO my letter until some two months after
our report had been submitted to the corpora
tors.
Reference to Mr.. Latrobe's letter shows that
the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, has one con-
tinuous grade of II miles in length, varying from
10 to 100 #. per mile and averaging for the
whole distance named 116 it. per mile. An
other continuous grade uniformly 116 it. pr.
mile for and oue-half miles, with curves, upon
these grades, of radii as low as 600 f. or sharp
er than the original Fish Point curve of the
Grand Trunk which / believe was 9 degree
curve, since made something easier.
Now reference to the report made by Mr..
Noyes and myself will show that no such high
average grade is required in surrounding the
hight of land in the Notch, but that the heavi-
est and only unusually severe divisiOn-that
between Lawrence's and the present Crawford
Hotel-will not exceed an average of 100 #. pr.
mile for distance of 10 miles and our judg-
ment was that the curvature would be quite
easy throughout. In conclusion it may not be
deemed lmpertmeut for me to say that when
| the line was first projected through the White
| Mountain Notch, L regarded it as visionary
and absurd scheme pre- dicating my belief upon
an early notion, and as then thought, cor
rect impression of that mountain pass. When
invited to make reconnaissance with Mr..
Noyes contemplated the expedition with 80
strong an assurance, in my own mind, of meet
ing with insurmountable obstacles to the pro-
ject, that had serious thoughts of declining
to undertake the examination.
So that to enable me to make the report
truthfuily, the grave doubts then entertained
had to be overborne by the positive evidence
| ately drawn up after a careful examination
and positively and unequivocally reafirm it
| now. JOHN +. ANDERSON
Civil Engineer.