The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-04-30
Report on the Lancaster &
newark Railroad.

Newark Railroad.
LAEcAsfER, April sOlb, 1868.
To J. 4. MunAuoH and others, Cor.
poralors Of the Lancaster &
Newark r. r.
Gentlemen ;--At your request
and 10 company With Mr.. r. Mu.
maugB, ] left Lancaster on the l7lb
inst TO make a preliminary exam.
ination Of tho country through
which you propose 10 locate your,
road. We went out on The line Of
the Cincinnati 2Rd ZanesviIlc Rail.
road to the valley of Pleasant Run,
two and one half miles cast Of Ian.
caster, then followed up this val
Icy in a nortberly direction shout
-four miles 70 the fafm Of Mr.. Ds-
sid Hnher Pleasant Rpn II this
point changes its course 70 almost
due west. and the valley here seems
to be almost up to the general level Of
the country farther north, the only
summit TO overcome being about
one bali milo beyond this point !;
and the rise is so gradual that the
general level Of ibe country be-
yond could DO gained with almost
a surface grade not exceeding 2l
feet TO the mile. From this point
we follow balfscction line due
north for two miles TO tho village
of Pleaeantville, and the north line
OF Pleasant Township. From this
point would run westwardly un-
I'll | reached the Section line, then
following this section line about
three miles TO near the crossing OF
Little Walnut Creek. / would then
run north westwardIy again, cross
ing the road leading from Lancas.
ter TO Millersport on or near the
farm OF II Eversole, and gaining
the east bank of the Ohio Canal.
about two and one half miles south
OF Miliersport, following the canal
to Millersport and cross it at that
place about one hundred rods west
OF the Reservoir and just west OF
the village.
The surface Of the water in the
canal at this point is so far below
tho general level of the land on
either side, that il will give a suffi-
cient height for bridge with lit.
tleor no elevation OF grade. From
this point | would continue in the
same direction for about one mile
north, keeping near the road lead
from Millersport TO Luray,
thence running north eastwardly
and crossing the county line be-
tween Fairfield and Licking coun-
ties on or near the north line oi
the farm OF j. Asbbrook, and get.
tiRg on to the west bank of the ca
nal to Hebron. From Hebron TO
Newarkthere are three lines which
would require a more careful ex-
animation than / was ablc TO give
One crosses the canal near Hebron
to the east side, and running near
ly parallel with the canal to Lock.
port, crossing Raccoon Creek near
Newark, connects with the Central
Ohio, and SaDdusky, Mansfield and
Newark roads at the depot in New
ark. This line howeaAr was not
examined as carefully as / could
wish, for want Of time.
The second line would keep the
west bank Of the canal, passing Just
west of tho Fair grounds and in-
tersecting the Central Ohio Road
about two miles west CT Newark !;
thereby saving two bridges, one
across the canal at Hebron and
one across Raccoon Creek near
Newark. The third limo would run
about one half mile west Of the ca
nal and could bo laid most of the
way on Section lines, doing but lit
tie if any damage to the farms. and
intersecting the Central Ohio Road
some three or four miles west of
Newark. All of these lines are
practicable, and the difference in
cost of construction and right Of
way will have TO determine the 10.
cation. On my return | examined
carefully the valley OF Baldwin's
Run. A line through this valley
would run directly north from Lam
caster aud would bo nearly a
straight line to Millersport, and
would shorten the distance about
one and one.half miles.
The summit at the head Of Bald
wins Run is considerably higher
than on the Pleasant Run line, and
could not be gained with a less
grade than 81 feet to the mile,
survey was made on this line in
1852 by. Mr.. Samuel Carpenter TO
whom l am indebted for this fact.
The surface of the country on this
line is much moro uneven than on
the Pleasant Run line, and would
require more undulating grade,
and greater cost of construction /;
but whether the difference in the
grades aud cost will overbalance
the difference in distance on the
Pleasant Run line can only be de-
termined by careful instrument
tai survey Of both lines, which
should DO made before the final 10.
cation of the road. Nv estimate