National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-26
CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL.

SURVEY OF THE LINE COMPLETED.
Tho engineers who surveyed the proposed
routes for the exteusion Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal, from Cumberland, Nsrylsnd, TO the
waters west Of the Alleghanies, have completed
their labors, and are now engaged in preparing .
report which will be transmitted during the pres
ent session Of Congress to that body through the
chief Of engineers of the army. Ire
In accordance with . resolution Of Congress d.
recting the survey to be made, Colonel Merrill, Of
tho engineer corps, detailed . wellknown civil
engineer in his employ to direct the matter Tho
first survey of this line was made in 1874 and 1928,
under a resolution Of Congress, and the commits.
maps plans and estimates for two routes-one,
from Cumberland, by way OF Mills creek, and
through a tunnel on tho summit level four miles
long, at elevation of about 800 feet above tidc
and tho other, known as the Deep creek route,
along the present line Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, crossing the summit 2,2S6 feet above
three and q half miles. Each Of these routes
were reported to be practicable and possessing
sufficient water saply at these elevations to fur
age and evaporation. The water supply, Is is
determined by the recent as well as former sur
veys, must be had from the Youghiogheny river,
which flows northward along the west side Of the
Allcghanies to the Monongahela.
The survey OF last season presents a route DIFF
ferent in many points from previous surveys.
which it leads to point selected for the summit
level which requires tunnel six miles I'm length
to connect on the west side with the Castleman
river, q feeder of the Youghiogheny. This tun-
mel would be but LIS feet higher elevation than
the Wills-creek line, and325 feet lower than that
of Deep creek. 1t Ii eighteen miles longer than
the Wflls-creek line, and Is Estimated roughly to
cost two millions more only than the amount eeti-
mated for the latter ffty ycars ago. The advan-
tages claimed for the new line are, FIRST the fact
that 1t leads from Cumberland. Maryland, directly
through tho Cumberland coal bssfn, thirty miles
west from the present point Of coal shipments BY
Of some eighty cents in cost Of handling; and,
0nd, 1t would open up for operation and use the
great coal basin on the west slope Of the Allie
ghany mountain crossing, known as the Salisbury
coal fields, and which are, not now extensively
worked because Of lack Of facilities for transpor-
tntion to q market. 80. b.. ..z. =
The Wnls-creek route, for fifteen miles from
has all the ground available occu-
pied by tho Baltimore and Ohio, the McConneils-
VILE and Pittsburg, and tho Cumberland and
railroad tracks, and tho great ma
tional turnpike. This occupancy would necessi-
tnte building the canal directly through the bed
of the creek, and that fact has been found to be
almost impraeticable IN . mountainous country.
The estimated cost Of the Savage and Castleman-
river line, including the tunnel twenty millions
and would extend the canal from its present ter
minus at Cumberland TO Connsllsville, ON the
foughiogheny, . distance Of ono hundred and
twenty miller, from which point there u slack
water and river navigation 10 PittsburE.
The water supply 10 suf1cicnt TO MI the pro
each time the reservoirs are allied the supply
would be amply sufficient 70 furnish water, allow
ing for every waste, for one hundred and seventy
boats per day, for one hundred and ten working
days, or capacity Of six millions Of tonnage each
season Of ten months navigation. !