New-York tribune., 1869-01-02
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
DIRECTOR WILLIAMs's REPORT.

DlhECIOk WlLIlAASS > hLGOkI.
SIR III obedience to your instructions OF the
18th June. addressed to tho Hon. James s. Rollins aud
myself requiring us to examine and report specially
the condition Of the Union Pacific Railroad where las
been constructed surveyed the degree OF pcrmanonce
I'm it's structures, where temporary timber structures
have been adopted what assurances have been given
that they viii be substantially rebuilt, and other omis
sions supplied together with opinion to what II
any, regulations required TO protect the public inter
est, and TO tho construction OF frst-cass rail
road" In all respects the undersigned or Rollins hav
ing been prevented from accompanying the pariy' las
the honor to report follows: Having before been
invited by the Engineer, Cen g. VI. Dodge, TO accom-
pauy him reconnaissance over the line 81 the suryeys
Joined his party nj Omaha the Goth Of June. The
President Of the Company. Oliver Ames. esq, who also
accompanied us 20 the eEu Of tho track then G6o miles
cut, KINDLY provided extra traiH which stopped at
every station ana 40 the Important points. Gured every
facility Tor examining the work. From the end Of the
track TO salt Lake 40 miles passed on horseback along
the line OF nna location, just then completed.
As basis for firstclas railroad required by the law.
proper location j. important Tho grades and curva
the respective divisions shou!d BE- adopted gem
orally the topography Of The country, departing from
n level ana from direct liBc as little Ms ths will permit
with reasonable cost. Ins level plain OF the Platte ear
rie5 the road with moderate grades ana excellent a-n
meut to the eastern base OF the mountain, 5eG miles,
thence to the basin Of salt Lake. At the mouth Of the
Weber Canon about 50inieS the mOnhialuous dtlct i
encountered. The principal mountain ranges running
tTansvorsely with the Road are: first, the Black
Hill range; second, me ha,Leshakc iahFei lHnd
the Continental divide, or Watershed; fourth, Tie
g
Basin aud sixth, the Wah.aeh IuIse separated from
the rim only by Bear River Valley. The entire draiha.e
Of this mountainous section between tie Black HIS aud
the rim o. the Uta Bahi sAcSt an ~ S,A7 IN la9 ihte
mediate dry basins passes by lateral valleys into the two
msn rivcis-the north folk OF the Platte flowing hrst
nCIthWhrd( ana lnthee ,aht 70 ~, wv ~, ~ pe
River running sOuthwatd TO the Colorado OF ire licHc
from the Tages into tese main rivers Ia an east,ry
westerly direction ard the engineers have been foriu
the Bitter Creek and Black Fork. for instance, very
favorable rontc for the railroad The granite formation
which, owing its impcrisllable character. generally
presents more precipOus and ClUhe surface, is Of
limited extent this route occurring on the entire Ile
| miles and ut the western base Of the Walsath
for three miles. The whole hne between Is III
everywhere predominant is Of tho most perisEable char
ae OF he past on the more elevated r ces has dsin
tegated this sandstone filling WI. The debris The valleys
lapse Of time the difference Of elevation aud moderatng
| the slopes. ,
tain formation, the COmrnnys locating engineers, under
Tie direction Of their CmefEngneer have been enAn,eu
TO nud more favorable route tai was supposed posspe
either by Congress or the Company at the initiation OF
attained Only by extensive surveys continued at large
cost through four iye yeart. The Company, by incur
! moi only the public interest hut It's own.
There are five short tunnels on the route ms follows:
No 1, &c b SaIp {os {.,s Mar! N.' 5r ao mile. Isi is
No 2rhoagh projecting point on "a phur Ce' east ' Bear
80 s9on ic sunni, Of w.ici Rsigr at $50
Noa aud lu t Of Weber RIVER ~ 'ee' and 40 iee' m
l.
Total upnsins on ,ls whole line to salt L,le.... Isi
profile Of the entire line finally located, from
the Missouri River SAT- Lake Valley about lD-O mics
rr an & nro,Ie for more sal ,faciory reference the
ruling grades and also the elevation above the lea.
may be found interesting. showing the elevation oi
Tid total ascent to be overcome by a train going west
between the Missouri High Bridge and Sat, Lake Valley
incudg the elevations lost by intermediate undhaiios
s. I2l0J feet and by train going cast 900 i"et Is
the reduced grade ~ The Omaha aud ERhorh submits
! after being cut down 80 Ieet per hiic
II will lc observed that the steelest grade IA 20 feet
pcr mile and this was found uccc-sary only on the two
/ main Mountain Ranges the Black HIS aud tie Wah'
Fatch The shortest curvature Is ex degrees on eaeh'
on The location adopted. train Of cars the
summit of the Wuhsatch Range viii meet IO ascending
grade higher Than 69 feet per i Thence 10 the Nesorn
base of the Black HIS, and So on the mp We,t"ar an
| overcome from the summit of ihe Black Hills to salt
Lake Valley. aud probably To- the hunboit Ehcrp'ihg
highest going West THIS grade should be reduced To %
The ascent bcrg limited TO feet, probably IS FAR
the sior Nevada, the small saving IN grading
here would not justify increasing The maximum at thiS
| slngle point
Hoadbed.-I nnd probably scven'elrhhs OF the road
bed formed by ombaukmcLt and ouctighlh IN cutting.
Tis lessons the frequency OF interruption 10y snow On
the first $40 miles Ia the valley of the fIate me grade
laid IN many places quite too low f" perhaps one
third Of this distance IL should hereafter be- raised from
TO two feet Tic grade here was also made OF very
limited Width not exceeding ii or ~ Icci giving lnsu'
hgent base for The ballast After reaching Lodge Pole
Greek. more Judcions eo1uses prevailed ana e Ioa9
located and grades forced moro in conformity with sound
Thence to Salt Lake the roadbed generally is raised
guard well against snow.dnits and win lew eN-
proper width. In the mountainous district however, es
pccialy between Fort Bndscr aud sait Like VALLEY,
snow drifts may be fruitful OF delays. ana tie
necdfu protection against the ming oi thr GUS wiz re-
qure large expenditure Probably plhe.tents OF Ihe
embankments tne whole liuc are made ia piow ana
scraper, mode which coDsohdates the roadped more
C5oss Ties-Tao want Of timber suitable for tics
pecially the Plains from the hrst source 1i
anxiety ts those desiring substantial track hsra-
wood aud cottonwood ties fnt'cd down the MIS-
sour River, perhaps IN INC pr9oruon oi ,ree 70 yen;
the being placed under the joints ana center on
wood, aud at first this was carried on; put AFTER
ward, with ithe qucioned hted 81 tiHehIaylhs aver
aging then miles per day, presume but small pro
pOrts. probably onethrd Of the cottonwood tIes were
umezcd. without this process they only ast three 20
four years Contracts have recently been made Tor he
delivery at Omaha of ties OF better qualify eqIasht
to the reayng of 100 miles Of track to DO distributed III
On the Lodge Pole division small portion OF cedar tie,
were laid aud after rcachug the BLACK II and thence
to salt Lake the mountain pine is used wholly which
though better than cotton wood is not 20 lasting as OAK
For the rst miles ties per mile were laid, thence
for distance the mountain grade. where heavy
engines were used, 2Cl0 but generally from Laramie
westward, about 1890 per mile IN the track From
the north fork Of the Platte TO RAWLINGS springs, u
mcs. noticed that 2Ci0 ties per mile have been laid
the usus1Nidth for new roads.
Iron RaiisIbe rails have been manufactured chiefly
a Johnston Scranton, Danyile, aud Allentown Pennsyl
yania. A rail weighing 80 pounds per yaId Win the
wrought iron chair was lail for the lrst go
is bcid by the fish bar plate instead Of the CHAIR
method now generally approved ,,..--,., 49,,
tho company s laid the track often miles per day.
averaging through the 90 miles pc. month suS.
cts The fear Of imperfect work VIC aud however that
u large force, acting with complete system, under ono
competent head. regardless OF cost forms le slouu-
work Of this speed Taking the whole line In view, the
trains pass over IL smoothly aud with high speed
as on any road over which have travelled 10 ts
result the limited amount OF In this region doubt
materially contributes. on curved nc time was not
always taken bend the iron rails to suit It, This dedcct
Balasiing-n this dry soil less ballastine. perhaps