The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-07

Reply Of tho Vice PresldcsS and Cowssltaax
EnSi0ecr Of tho Road Go thc Hepsrt o. ne
Special Com nsissiouers.


Engi0ecr Of ths Road Go the Uepsrs sf sSe
Special Commissioners.
WAsmSGros. Dec. g. fsSs
The vice president I. O. Duraut. ana the consult
ing engineer, s. Seymour, OF the Union faciGc saa
road, have filed reply TO tho report made by the
special commissioner appointed TO examine that
road, Of which the following Is an abstrset:--
The special commission upon tho Union Pacuno
Railroad have estimated "that the expenditures THAI
will be required in order that the road SO far as
built may be rendered equal TO fully complete nrss
class railroad" will aggregate So $50; but, they
1dd, mo allowance ~ made for works In progress or
Tor material and equipments ordered or In transit"
The company, IN answer, review these question: In
detail. The special commissioners estimate that
the completion OF the line for through travel tho
OF additional equipments will amount 70 $260BO 900
rms should DO struck out because the equipment ~
the road Is adequate Tor its present business. They
they have forty-dv new locomotives now building,
in addition 70 lit now In use, and have 400
east Of the Missonrl river anu 800 In process
OF construction Ill private establishments. besidcs
turning out three per day from their own shov
aney Say mat inc other items making up this
provided FOR and VIII all be in their places when
d 500 for reconstruction OF bridges and st0nc
piers. The company have already expended
Soooooo icr materials Tor this purpose. and admit
tnat $780, more y necessary to completes all
bridges 0f eighty feet span and upward ON tho
Howe truss pian. large force b. now engaged
III substituting these structures.
The commissioners recommend new n8llast for tus
track amounting TO S9l0,0oO. The company replies
that except $50 miles In the Platte Valley the road is
balasIed az well az any Western road Ii, the United
States, bnt agree W eXpend about x25O,0O0 III this
way The commissioners estimate s240 600 for conf
pleting entertainments. The company ALLEGRO thas
500 600 is ample for this purpose that the work
Is now being done. The commissioners estimate
$525.O00 TO replace 525 900 cr0sstes Tho company
say they have 100 900 ties on hand which they caim
are more than are necessary. The commissioners estI
mate for additional alter ways $4,000. The company
state that engineers who have been ON the road for
years say that 1t has double the drainage required
The commissioners estimate for changing locations
is $500. C00 The company claim that the present To-
cation is entirely within the requirements Of the
charter. The COMMISSIONER estimate for reducing
grades near Omaha Is S2i5,ooo. The company say
that arrangements have been made for crossing tho
Missouri river al point which will render this re-
duction necessary The commissioners recommend
$235 900 for water stations, station houses snow aud
cattle fences The company say that they have them
10 process OF construction A. rapidly as needed. tho
Commissioners say, N conclusion, .'faken a.
well constructed and the route exceedingly
wen selected. and that The deficiencies arc
those incident to all new roads" The COM
pany close with the folowing:--"rhe company
have at this date completed sixty miles Of The tnck
commissioners. The grating IS neariy Completed
Tor distance Of 40 miles in advance Of tha track,
upon large portion OF which the cross ties are de-
lvcred ana distributed. Grading has also been conf
menced and large force Is nov engaged In prcpar-
ing the road bed and procuring ties OF the -
miles above referred 10. One hundrod aud twony
miles OF iron now delivered west oil the Missouri
river and ninety more route cast o thai pant
The above ltenis together with the ties ana lumber
delivered for construction purposes. make up an
amount OF at least $S,00O0O0, which the canpaRy
nave expended IN advance Of the road already COM
p,esed. The company have slso contacted ~ con.
struct an iron bridge 0ser the Missouri river, at =
COST Of $1,000, 000 all OF which would 10 snow
that the company are acting III good fhith toward
The government and are constructing u good aud
substantial road. IL would also seem that the gov
ernnent Is amply secure Ia the ISSUE amt delivery Of
the government bonds as fast as completed sections
OF tile road examined and accepted by the com
nsissioners appointed BY the president under u,e
charter OF .he company. The company have never
received patent frorn the government for one
Or the lands which were granted as q subsidy for
building the road ana u has been thought th0 tho
retention OF these Lands In the hands ol toe govern
ment would afford ample security for the perform
OF all that was required ~ the company by lhs
terms OF the charter. THOMAS n. DuRAEr,
Vice President Of L. r. K. r. Co.
y. SEYMOUR,
Consulting Engineer.