Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-12-09


1870, and started an experimental line
from the main track of the SalJwOrks
Branch of the Virginia aud TennCssee
Railroad, opposite the dt o of the De-
pot building, thence passing down
Saltworks creek and crossing North
HolstOn river below the old King Salt
W rks, and passing up Robertson'sI
creek into Poor Valley, thence down.
the Valley crossing Tumbling creek
and passing up along the 81 ie of Poofl
Mountain through Littlc's Gap, ant
tunnelling the Rich Mountain whicl
forms the summit of the Clinch Noun
tain Range, near Buke's, and passing
out into the Loup and grading around
the Southern base of the BearlowuI
Mountain, passing through War Gapl
We strike Elk Garden Ridge and rliI
down to Cedar creek, near w. a
Stuart's Mill, thence down the right
bank of the creek and crossing ii netf
Furgerson's Mill, we leave Big Cedif
and pass over to Little Cedar creel,
then up the same, passing through
Lebanon, the county seat of Russll
county, we run into Glade Hollor,
and running South of Dale Cartels
residence and striking the head-watCfs
ofCOppercreek, we pass Dickensonvile
and cross Copper Ridge at LittoIls
Gap with "A tunnel of one thousald
feet; 81 ence down Mill creek throuth
Castle Woods, and passing by Blk
ley's and Loves Mills and crossing
Chnch river, we run down the right
bank of the river and strike the Wise
county line near the mouth Of LEX
creek; theI c. around near the secdnd
fork OF MILESTONE creek, and over he
ridge cross Itu sell creek near Rofrt
Dicken,on's and passing through Bull
Hill with short tunnel, run upt
Dry Fork of Bull Run to Crab pr
chard, u poll fifty miles ON shl :
vile, aud ABOUT three Miles fpm
Guests Station.
Reconnaissance were made extend
ing over the country lying on each
side of the line, with view of
thorough inves igation of the subject,
and all the routes suggested 10y persons
having full knowledge of certain
localities, were examined, and nothing
was left undone to obtain the infrma-
ton necessary to come to some fin
conclusion in regard TO the best loca-
ton of the road.
The first part OF the road runs
through thin sOiled, but well wood
ed country, passing some very excel
lent water power and fine beds of Iron
Ore, as it asecnds the Clinch Noun
tain which is about fourteen hundred
.eet higher than Poor Valley. The
ridges composing the top of the range
are very fertile and covered with the
most luxuriant Blue grass, and capable
of producing the finest orchards of
never failing fruit, located above the
influences of Spring frosts and the rot
| common to town localities.
Beyond the clinch Range we.at once
| enter into the rich grazing lands oil
| Russell. the Switzerland OF AmcH-
ca" eX.cHdiug through the centre ol
| the county, and Castles Woods, the
Paradise for cattle, and terminated 10y
the Clinch river. IL then enters the
coal fields of Wise county, which
crops out ut every break in the soil
and every bed of steam along the
line. Saltwater is known to exist on
Lick creek, Immediately on the line oil
h Railroad, which only needs lit
tie energy and ertcrlh ise to develop
| and which in connection with the inn
II ense quantities of Camel and other
Cod, would, if there were an outlet
render this one of the richest sections
on the continent.
From the crossing Of Copper Ridg,
onward, the line is Substantially the
same IA that which was travelled 10y
Daniel Boone in his early visits to Ken
lucky, and 10y the Indian and Buffalo
before him.
This preliminary survey has deter
mined the general bearing and fea
lures of the final location, the detail.
of which can only be determined bS
ca eSul vestigation and has been run
as near to final location as it was pos
sihle for IL To have been done on frs
line; and the road will lie on the iden
teal ground in the main; and for 1
line running nearly east and west
crossing two large streams and tire,
great Mountain ranges, is remarka.
bly, good one both for alignment anC
VI AIDES, and with a few alterations, a.
described below, will, after considcra
ton of the bent iitsto be derived IRON
the different localities in the way o
business, the means which may be oh
tanned TO build the road, and the fu
ture business of the road be the hes
and most practicable route which caI
be had for forming the cOnnectinl
link between the Virginia and Ten
nessee road, aud its connections on thu
east. and the great network of Rail
roads connecting al Louisville, Ken
lucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and will
when met on the State line by tn
roads from Kentucky, afford line o
road about five hundred miles shOrle
than the one now passed over by GU
going from the Virginia seahord {,
to Kentucky aud the Northwest.
The first change necessary to bl
made in this line, occurs near its begin
ming on the HOlstOn river; for ther,
although the alignment Is good and /
regular down grade can he had for tel
III les leading TO the Saltworks, yet thi
z tade on account of the formation o
me country, Is so steep rs TO make |
advisable to run the road up the Hol
ston river TO crossing higher up, an'
| then down again on the opposite bank
| thus increasing the distance ant
tightening the grade into Poor Valley
An experimental survey was made al
the river to ascertain the practicabilit!
of the change, and the facts elected g
far To recommend The change.
The 2d point where the Location
should differ from the present line oc
ours i'm running down into Elk Gardcl
| from the mountain, where the grad
can again be lighlened by lengthint
| the line, and so also in running dOwi
into Iclk Garden from the mountain
where the grade can again be Tighten
ed by tightening the line. and 50 als'
in running down from Copper ridg,
and in passing up MILESTONE ridge TIN
| grade can be improved.
The grades for the greater part OF TIL
line will lie easy, seldom reaching sixty
feet to the mile. But on the mountain
ranges it in several places reaches nine
tythree feet 1881 per mile, but by tn
changes proposed, can be c0nsideael,
improved. Taking il altogether TIN
said road will compare favorabiy will
the Knoxville and Kentucky Road
which, by a report Of Col. a. Terry
Chief Engineer, has grade of 95 lee
To the mile, and with the Nashville
and Chattanooga Road, which has 1
maximum grade of los feet per mile
I Al. lNsifI a