The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-02
PACIFIC RAILROADS.
Report OF the Commissioners Of the Union
and Central Pacific Rai.roais-Esti.
mate Of the Cost OF Completion.
WASHINGTON, Nov. /, 1869.

projection OF the interests Of the Union Pacific Rail-
rOad Company, the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany, and for other purposes, approved April 10,
1850, have the honor to submit the following re-
port
Under instructions from the Interior Department,
dated August H. 1859, four members OF the
sion were in Omaha on August -, but the instruc-
tons OF the filth commissioner having fnled to
e0ach MIN no was not present. ana II was informally
decided to proceed 70 sacramento. The CON-
mission met ut sacramento on September 3,
election Oh General Hiram Wabridse president ana
General y. u. Colnatock secretary, and commenced
the inspection oil tue ucnara Pacific Railroad usIl-
ally w9rhny from haif-past six i, ~ I'LL dark and
occupying ii5ias septenbsr until Sepfemsa! u IN
the inspection Of taat ftld The Inspection OF the
Union Pacific Railroad was besun September u euj
completed September y, when tie commission
adloufnco to meet at Washington OCTOBER 10, 1869
Eut tAe meeting was subsequently pos poned until
octoher % when most VI the mars ana information
asked Tor from the two ROADS hnd been received.
The JOINT resolution under wnicn the cor,mlsson
vas spoiilsa REQUIRES 4 to examine aud report
Wi.i % ixuired 70 Complete said roads FOR the
Sn.ti l5tn thereof 10 said terminus, first class
s.load, IN compliance with tne several acts reat-
Ing 10 said roads. lle Instructions OF the Interior
Department require ,ha the report should he minute
and spccluc upon the several particulars relating to
lac construction anu ceuipielt o each oi the roau3
which tnosc INSTRUCTIONS set orth and chat t should
etsta 10 what extent, II any the line OF either road
deyate5 ron tie most central, airect aud practical
bic roale mentioned in SAID acts OF Congress. The
Instructions add:--"You VIII not, however, he re-
or the resolution, iciuda In your report sdgscs
tons or Facts relating to tho roads ELECTED by your
examination which \ on snail consider necessary 10
be submitted to lle President OF she United States.
lie lss question that comes before the commas
son IS wnat is meant by Congress IN lts yaroa, acts
relad0g 10 The Pacific railroad by The words 'irst
class railroad" Railroads now ranked as FIRST class
Ia tins country are iar from bslng perfect ut Their
opcnln and nave Gaen brought to fheir present high
STANDARD by large expenditures, which small traiIc
Ia lhe beginning contd never have Justified 10 re-
cure the iacidc railroads. TO be brought as 1rst 10
Al II 1frn
le2yt Anu lueEatve BUSINESS would be waste OF
Mones. It's evident % The commission that this
ma n2f Tnf s .ass e sT
rasons had built these roads without governmental
Subsidy II Womb undoubtedly have been for their
interest TO pntd them at first at the lowest cost
Esleltt with Keeping them IN operation and when
Iuilt, II paying business should be deveopel, to
Eieasing ira1lc should render necessary. But Con.
Gress had made large loan and an extensive land
grant, part Of which will be valuable, and in re-
would nave pnilt-a road that should be capable OF
transr porting passengers and freight with rapiAity,
sa aors and Of aoss IN rH1 s n scE 9'd sa1e
REQUIREMENTS OF the law viii be satisfied ana
the designs or Congress carried out II The
roads be properly located, with ludlclous grades,
ana have substantial road beds Of eool WIDTH and
baiiasting wnich with proper care, Shall be able
keep the track IN good coalition throughout the
year; permanent structures Tor crossing streams
good crossties iron and JOINT ras,eninaa sufficient
tasteniDgs, water tanks buildings. machinery and
adequate roag stock, the more iii oortant machine
snops and engine houses being Of masonry. Ana
the commission is glad 10 be able TO say that 10 its
opinlon, while some expenditures still nced 10 be
Nude, these two roads are rich roads to-day. The
expenditures needed FOR the completion Y be given
In detai Tor each ROAD.
Report On ihe Central Pnciac Rmi,reah, with
E5.itna.es Of Sums 4leGuirea u Com ?istc ~.
In the opinion OF the Commission the general iccl-
SION Is good although they say several places where
Il appeared 10 them might he improved IN some OF
tS Geta.ls perhaps at somewhat increased expense
But this could only be determined positively by an
extended Instrumental survey Tor which tie Com
mission did not have the time at It's disposal w.ilc
IS was TO be expected the location Is open to c,i,
clsm, there arc no errors the immediate correction
u which should be required by the government. it
IL NOT thought that they exceed reasonable limits
considering The haste with which the latter part Of the
road Dlilt, ler that either bonds OF aad grant
should DC Withheld Tor the small distance b which
they increase the length OF The road. Tie road is
calable o doing all Its business with safely and cor
fanny. The road bed Is generally OF good width,
both in cuts and embanAmeuts; but q iow points
were noticed where tie cnbanknen's were narrow,
and estimate mas been made u TIE costs VI
wld ening them.
TUNNELS.
There are fifteen tunnels the road throagh sclit
rock and congl0merate or SOFT granite. part o!
these are archad with heavy woodwork, which Will
last for many years. Those not through soi!d rosa
anu not arcned have stood without giving Efoui.e
Tor Two or three years ard show no signs OF failure
we therefore make no estimate for areaiug any Of
them.
BRIDGES, rRrsrLEs AND cuLvEETs.
The bridges are usually aowes' truss OF. good ma
ever lighter especially IN their suspension rods than
y advisable, and IN some cases 20 light Iaat the
heaviest load that ,, can Dc , pa, on . them
should not be run over them at high speed
An estimate has been maize for strengthening such
rs are deemed too weak 70 carry the maximum load
with safety. They are the bridges over tas NORTH
fork OF the HUMBOLDT over Bonner creek anu tho
two long spans OF that ar the American river. Tie
piers 81 The American river bridge are Of wood and
an estimate is made for replacing them with stone
The high trestlcs west OF and In tho Sierra Nevada
10 of mt AZ gf eyyN
Of them should ultimately be oiled up OK replaced by
permanent structures. as also the tIestes and tel-
An estimate ia made for thus The ianaedt
ate replacement or these trestlss, however,
u saa for mo- four i've saar and the sane
tile necessary experience VIII no gained as 20 post
tton and dimensions OF the WATERWAYS required. Tne
masonry, especially on the mountain division, IL well
constructed and OF good materials.
SNOW sHEDs.
At the summit OF The Sierra Nevada the snow
sorctimes falls TO depth oil about fifteen feet, max
ilg It problem Of great difficulty to secure The ruu
nyeS when has BEEN Boldly ana as eng y ms
Through the region or heavy snowfall, except on
some high embankments, the track has been COW
thus thoronoly protecting it from suow. There
are IN these mountains frequent snow slides
S ROAD their au o
ths occurs In excavation heavy roof IL butt over
the road anu extended up the side OF the mountain
to which It's upper edge ia fitted and the wnole sa
curey fastened to the rock It's slope being such that
the avalanche WIN pass readily over IT, These roofs
Ia some cases extend up the slope Of mountain from
To Two hundred feet, aud are very strongly bull.
to carry the great weight that may DO suddenly
thrown upon them. In n distance OF forty miles
there is an aggregate length OF thlry.two miles oi
sloW sheds aud galleries. costing, according the
statements Furnished by the company sl,7Sf, 000
The iron in the track varies rom SO to % pounds
hneal yard, and u tboroughlytspiled good sized
cross trees, numbering from $500 TO 20io per mile
About orc hundred end fry miles or the road IL laid
with chairs and the remainder with fresh joints TIE
whoe Is good surface and line and a. ell lAp,sd
20 high rates ~ speed as average urst class railroads
In the United States.
sIUINGa.
Ihe s,dlrgs, which are about Eve per cent OF the
ienA n vi the ro21, aTe ample for the acconnoda.
ticu ot It's business, and ndlciougiy located.
BALLAST.
a large portion OF tho road Is well ballasted with
good national. In making estimates TO supply the
deficiencies ia this respect regard mas been haa to
tbe character 81 the material Of which The road bed
81 constructed, and he small rain tails VI tho Sierra
Nevada.
sTarfoN HOUSES.