Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-03-31

AS per milo, sad fraas z int L,okous 10
Benainss bridge at 81. 200 ,l59. OF Sl5.-
s09 per mi.e..
These figures embrace tho usa,l allow
ance for shrinka.s Of the emb,nkm-u. as
well as for contin ,eneies and engineering
expenses I; AVID the grs:sa totals. It 10 bs-
loved. will be amply sufkoient 70 pat ,ae
respective lines into operation.
Il is true. that estimates upon prs.imi-
nary surveys rarely. ifever. cover the ae-
tuai eos. cf works Of this kind. but This Is
owing % circumstances which vii. not be
likely to occur in tho obstruction and
completion Of tho SSuthera Maryland
Railroad.
There can be no rc,snn Ito aprrehend
any sdvancc In she price Of labor or ms
terials. No solid rock will be met with
in the necessary cuts, for none has cv-r
! been reached on the entire route. aud
!. running upon the highest ridge in the
| peninsu'a, as oUr liae does. II Ia barely
! possible that t'fs stallox excavations will
ever uncover hidden fountains, and in-
volve thereby much trouble from land
sides. or iu obtaining tirm aud solid rosd
bed.
! Indeed. it is probable ,ha. the csti-
! cost. They are liberal-n,i, " with
out tho wish to Lad capitalists or others
J into unsafe conclusions. Full allowance
/ has been made for n frst-class roa', fo-
th' b'st materials. and FOR faithful ard
si;!,lful mechanical labor.
Various suhstitu;iols nay be resortei
I to in tie construction at a consider able
reduction of the estimated cost. Tue
ties, ia many eases, cn bo paid for in
:: 'ck other nee ssary timber cln b. oh
tain"d on the same terms, ami the right
of way also. Considerable cash OUTLAY
my be avoided bv burning the necessary
bricks along the line, convenient II poia's
where til = will b, needed. The fuel for
this purpose will cost bat little oa.s.ls 0!
the cutting aud hauling.
! In addition to this, tn, preliminary
surv,y vas dcsigncdiJ NAL up OF long
, ,'ingau:s, thereby encounssytng many ell
cva'ions and d"press,ons, Aat may be
avoided on location, without seasioly in
crclsin- the distance. In sone cls.s
also, the distance may be diminished
without incu:r.ng heavy work, or sleeper
grades.
The grade will bc light on the entire
line, IN ,s;ly from O.20 to o 80 per chain
r. from 10 t. % fee. per mile, rarely ex-
cscdiug the latter, but frequently falling
below the former figure. Tho stecpest
inoiues occur where We enter iuto, and
leave tbe valley of Piscataway creek. and
in descendin. from the heiyhts Of Good
Hope t. the Eastern Branch. All Of
these may be Improved by change Of
route.
Very few Of the curves will b. objsc-
ticusblc. Marty the entire line my be
run over at the m7ximum speed, without
any elevation of the outer rail.
l: must be unnecessary to give par
ticular desert p:ion Of the route ofthe sur.
vey. The Couimiss; ners are mostly IA
well acquainted with tie entire line. as
the engineers. 1t my b, H. Heated al
most in word as lying alony the sun
nit Of upland that rises between the head
of the Potomac drainage OF the ouc han !,
and that Of the Chesapeake bay and Pa.
tux"ut river on the other. Until il
reaches The Long Ola Fields or Forrest
vile, the line rarely deviatcs from this
ridge or divilc, aud then only for eco
noaical considerations, or when. OF ac-
coun. of interlocking streams. the curve
Of the heights vas iaconvcnicnt.
S,vcral objections to this srout, are urs-
il by the friends OF the cn,esp,.sc. Thlt
it Is neither direct nor central is uulcnia-
lie; that it will require less gra,lin. and
masoIry than any othsr thlt cla be s.
'eetci is-.qaoliy c.rtaiu.
A more central location !. rec,mncn-
led. not only hecau>e i; would ba more
direct. and therefore shorter. but, ai.o.
because the raid, If built. should pass
through those sections OF th. couatry
where facilities for TRANSFORMATION and ira.
vel are most needed. and where it would
therefore be most tikciy u he prtro1iz Il.
prudence. in the mclnt;ne, i,,viu. an
wv she vs., Us Wei ui1st ble re-
sources aud cap sci,y of the country to af-
ford u paying patronage. .r.
! Several miiianl routes have been sue
g,stei. Personal reconnaissance, On snrns
Of them has occupied considerable time,
bat 10 reliable q, ,iniop a to eligibility
coaid be arrived at without the aid Of in
strumeuts. Crossing. a they mus, u,
the drainage OF the p o,n &c slope.
aud that, too. ah,ve the confu nc /.
If the wa,er-cou .. the cost o.
graduation. masonry and bTid Ing mas:
necessarily be considerable. II i
however very probable tha: the road
would rag better on the central or ar.
line route, aaj. should it DO this, il would
be a cheaper one in The ea!, let the e3s;
be wha; it may.
+. Near Brandy wine the inducements to
adopt central roa.e become mere mcigb.y
+. As We approaca this poiaI, We APPROACH
F.. also the located liae o: the Baltimor.. IA
I Potomac Railroad. and after running 10
close proximity to It for several m;lss, VIC
cross it in sharp obliqaity. aai thea re-
! cede from 1t as We approach it. Ipd.eI
f-om the estate known a. the w ood yaru
-.