Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-10-27
Progress Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch
CovTNcrON Va Ootohar ID 1898


CovINGToN. Va, October IA, 1868,
AS you with all other ight~thinking journal
lists, feel interested in the prosperity ofVirgn-
ia and its illegtimate daughter, West Virginia,
thought | would inforn you of the progress
of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad since the
letting of the work to the White Sulphur
| Springs.
Very little work, except bridging Dunlap
creek, omparatively speaking, is to be done
on the line west of Covington until you reach
what is known as the Mud or Red Hill tun.
mel, - four miles from Coyngton, which is con
sidered the heaviest section between the latter
place and the White Sulphur Springs. This
work is let to Messrs. Kelly and Mcmahon,
gentlemen we'll known as contractors, who will
push forward the work to completion at as ear
| ly day as possible. They are now fully un-
der way, and having cleared away the debris
accumulated at both portals of the tunnel since
the suspension of the work in 1861, are work.
ing both night and day; and although the work
is considered dangerous it is believed that will
be carried forward to completion without any
serious accident occurring These gentlemen
are also the contractors for the stone work on
the line.
West of the "Mud' tunnel again, there is
no very heavy work until you reach the 'Big
Fill, a distance of some fourteen miles from
Covington. This work was let to MIR. e. X.
Mason, of Augusta county, gentleman well
and favorably known. He employs, | under
stand, chiefly black labor the largest part of
which is composed of convlcts from the peni
tentiary, at which the whole people of the coun-
ty, am infomed are very much dissatisfied
I presume, however, that the.scarcity Of white
labor compelled him to employ this class of Ia
Dor, and that it will, before long time, be dis
placed by the substitution of white labor as it
| immigrates, which have no doubt it will do
so soon as a knowledge of the fact of this road
being let to contract becomes generally known.
This work. the big Filr'-I understand,
is to be raised within forty feet of the level of
the track with material taken from the sur
rounding hills, and then trestled to grade. af
ter the road begins to be used material will be
brought on cars and deposited within the tres,
| tie work until the whole is filled up with solid
material. This plan of operating gives to the
company the use of this part of the road soon
er than it could possibly get it if the whole
were first made solid mass before laying the
track. This section will, have no doubt, be
pushed forward to completion as speedily as
possible @
Over the Lewis Tunnel" for the purpose
of enabling the company to use the road as
soon as it is possible to do So temporary
track will be constructed, and after the road has
\ begun to De uSCu lIc tuutcl VIII Uc cACdVdteu.
The 'Aleghaney Tunnel which was ex-
cavated and partially arched before the war, re-
ouires great deal of work to be done upon it !;
but there does not exist any doubt that it will
be completed as early as any part of the work
east of it.
The chief engineer of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railrord is Mr.. Whitcombe, who is we'll
known in your city and all along the line of the
Central for his ability, untring energy and
gentlemanly department. The chief of the
eastern division from Covngton west is Mr..
Kuper of Louisa county, gentleman of emf
nent ability il, his profession, and very highly
esteemed by every one brought into contact
with him in this section Of country The chief
Of the western division is Mr.. Talcott, of Char
lotte county, whom | had the pleasure of seeing
on Yesterday at "Callaghan's' waiting the
stage to convey him to his field of operations.
The "Springs" season has just closed, the
stage coach from Sweet Chalybeate Springs to-
day having just passed with its freight of pas
sengers from that watering place conveying
all, I believe, that were left in the mountains
to Cevington to take passage on the railroad
for their homes Thus ends the season of
1868, which was profitable to the estimable
proprietors of the White Sulphur Springs,
Messrs. Peyton.
De Quincy, being asked why there were more