Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-01-26
Short Creek Railroad.

TO William Bi,e,sS, Isaac Thomas, Hns
Hdu, .r., and other Committee:
GENTLEMEN: In pursuance of your re
quest have examined and made pre-
liminary survey of the line from Short
creek via Flag Run, Harrisville sum-
init and Barr's Run to Wheeling Creek
to determine its practicability for q
Railway, and the character of the line
afforded by this route.
The survey commenced at station so;
of my former survey from Uhrichsville
to Bridgeport via the mouth of Short
creek; and thence rejecting to the right
ascended the ravine of Flag Run to its
source at Harrisville, crossed the di.
vide between Shortcreek and Wheeling
Creek near the west end of that village,
and thence descended the ravine Il
Barr's Run tOits confluence with Whee-
ling Creek at point said to be about
eleven miles from Bridgeport.
The distance, from the initial point of
the survey to the crest of the ridge at
Harrisville is 3 2-10 miles, and thence
to the mouth of Barr's Run on Whee-
lug Creek lilo miles, making the to-
tai distance from the place of beginning
on ShOrtcreek to termination on Whee-
ling Creek seven and three-tenth miles.
The character of the railway line,
which this line will afford will of course
depend somewhat on the skill with
which the full capabilities ofthe ground
shall be developed and appropriated in
future and more detailed surveys. NY
impression from the examination made
is that it will be found best to pierce
the ridge about 128 feet below the crest.
This will require tunnel 1850 feet in
length with an approach 100 feet long
at the north end and 400 feet long at
the south end. The decent can then be
made with no very expensive work on
the ShOrtcreek side, and with very
light work on the Wheeling Creek side
of the ridge. By locating the tunnel at
this elevation most advantageous line
can be obtained i'm the valley of Barr's
Run, the descent of this stream being
so uniform that the road bed would in
no case be more than ten feet above the
bottom of the valley, thus permitting
the construction of a road at cost
scarcely exceeding one on the flats of
the Ohio River. In the valley of Flag
Run the grade would rise higher on the
hill sides, but the sides of this ravine
are not unfavorahle, and line can be
located to the valley of Short Creek
comparing favOrably in regard to cost
with similar work on roads in Eastern
Ohio. The alignment throughout si
easy, and there would beno difficulty in
securing curves of 855 feet radius at
The survey as before stated COM
menced at station 822 of nay Short
Creek line, which point is thirty and
siX-tenths miles from Uhrichsville,
eight and one-tenth miles from Cadiz,
and tweltyfour and three-tenths |
miles from Bridgeport by my survey of |
1913 viz the mouth of ShOrtcreek. The |
length of the line from Short creek to |
Creek by your route being |
seven and three-tenths miles, if we as |
sumo the distance from the mouth of
Barr's Run to Bridgeport at eleven
miles it viii be seen that the distance
from Bridgeport to Cadiz or Uhrichs-
vile, via Harrisville, is nearly six miles |
less than by the way of the Ohio River
and Short Creek valleys, being from
to Cadiz twenty-six and |
miles, and to Uhrichsyille, |
and nine tenth miles.
If the estimated distance from the
mouth Of RaTS Run to Bridgeport is
correct your route would be considera-
bly, shorter than any which has yet
been suggested for connecting Bridge
port with Cadiz or Uhrichsville,
Very Respectfully
], RLICKENsDERFER, Jr.,
Civil Engineer.