Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-05-27

Grading between Yorkvile and Dallas s2s s2s ss 81
Masonry o,ooo OF
Trestle-Work " 6,s7s !:
The grading in Caldwell, ll,............".155 5S6 OF
Total amount of work done, ,.""..S54,4 ,459 II
There yet remains about two and half
miles between Little Catawba creek
and the Richmond and Atlanta Air
Line Railway to be graded, amounting .
..............S3,5OO W
There are also the chords wanting upon
the trestles and the braces, O,0OO feet, ~
100 O. feet eel Of span Of bridge, at $40 per foot 1000
Total cost of work remaining to be done,S60 050 On
Respectfully submitted,
F. GARDNER,
Chief Engineer G. & L. n. G. r. R.
sUPER1NrENDENT's REPORT.
To the President and Directors Of the Ches
ter and Lenoir Narrow Gauge Railroad Com
pany: GENTLEMEN: l beg to submit fol
your information, brief report, giving or
outline of the operations of the Chester ano
Lenoir Narrow Gauge Railroad since the
last annual meeting; and especially with ref
erence to matters with which, as Superinten
dent, l am charged, or over which l have
control.
The operations of the road were conducted
on the fve-feet gauge track until the 9th day
of last August, at which date the work O.
changing the gauge to three feet was com
menced. Twenty-three working days were
consumed in changing the gauge and making
such other alterations as were necessary. The
total cost of changing the gauge, and adapt
ing the turntables" to the change, was $500
The present rolling stock equipment of the
road consists of one irst.class passenger car
one second-class passenger car, five box cars
four fiat cars, two material flats and two dump
cars, all of which are in frst-class order. The
passenger cars, two box cars and two flat cars
we're purchased of the Jackson q Sharpe
Company, of Wilmington, Delaware. Three
box cars, two fiat cars, the two material cars
and the two dump.cars were built at York
Vile, at total cost, including material, Of
81, ,49765. The cars built at Yorkville are
superior to those purchased from jackson q
Sharpe, and cost 25 per cent. less money
The total cost of the present equipment OF
the road has been about $4,000. The engines
on the road, with nine loaded cars travel with
sufficient speed for all practical purposes, and
at much less cost for wood and oil than when
the road was operated with the broad gauge.
For the nine months during which the narrow
gauge rolling stock has been used, the amount
saved in the cost of wood and lubricatng oil,
compared with what the broad gauge engines
would have consumed, in the same time, is
S19625. The capacity Of the narrow gauge
box cars is twenty bales Of cotton, or FIVE tons
dead weight; the capacity of the broad gauge
cars, formerly used, was twenty-six bales OF
cotton, or eight tons dead weight.
During the year there have been put into
the road.bed 4,l87 cross. ties. Of this number
1882 we're of suitable size and length for the
6veteet gauge, and 3,035 were adapted to the
three-feet gauge. The average cost Of the
broad gauge ties was 324 cents each the av-
erage cost of the narrow gauge ties was III
cents each. From this comparative cost OF
the two kinds of ties, you will readily per-
ceive that the cost of ties for keeping up the
road.bed in the future is reduced very nearly
one.half There are employed, in keeping the
track and road.bed in repair, one "section
man" and seven "track hands" at cost OF
STAT per month. The section man is paid
s35 per month, and the track hands SIG per
month, each, including rations. The force
employed is not sufficiently large to keep the
track in as good condition as is desirable but
I have considered it inexpedient, in view of
the financial condition of the Company, to in
crease the force The track, however, is in
reasonably safe condition, as evidence of which
I am pleased to mention that there has been
no accident on the road, during the year, re-
sultng in the loss of human life. There have
been several trivial accidents, resulting in
damage to the rolling stock, but the total loss
from this cause will not exceed $40.
On the line of the road between Chester
and Yorkvile there are six platforms upon
which to deliver freight. One is at Guthries-
Vile, two at McConnellsville, one at District
Line, one at Sandy River Road, and one at
Lowrysville. Four of these platforms have
been erected during the year, and the two
others have been repaired and are in good
condition. The total cost of building the new
platforms and repairing the old ones was
S5025.
For several years there had been but one
we'll and tank on the road from which to sup
ply the locomotives with water, and that one
located at McConnelsville, about midway
between Chester and Yorkville The location
of the only water that was conveniently avail
able, was constant source Of inconvenience.
To remedy this, we'll has been sunk at
Chester and one at Yorkville, and each sup
piled with tanks and other necessary appll-
ances. The total cost of the two wells, inclu.
ding pumps, frames, tanks, &C., aggregates
1854. The supply of water is now ample for
present purposes.
There are located on the line of the road
between Yorkville and Chester, three small
houses intended for the use of the persons
employed in keeping up the road-bed and
track. Two of these houses have been erected
during the year at cost of S83.
The other employees of the road, more d.
rectly connected with my department, are the
following One engineer, at a salary of 500
per month one fireman, at $l8 per month !;
two train hands, at SIG per month, each, in
cluding rations; one blacksmith, at S3S per
month two laborers, at Sl9 per month, each,
including rations; and one laborer (pumper)
at sl4 per month, including rations
Of the broad gauge stock on hand at the
time the gauge was changed, there remain
only two locomotives in the possession of the
Company. One Of these is in fair condition
and can readily be put in good running or
der. The other is, and was at the time the
gauge was changed, of but little value as
locomotive. Should occasion require, it may
be altered so as to be used as stationary
engine.
All the cars have been sold, embracing two
passenger cars, four fiat cars and five box
cars. From the sale of these cars the sum
of $4,000 was realized. In this connection,
l take occasion to mention that about $500
has been realized from the sale of old iron
and other material that was useless for any
purpose in connection with the operating Of
the road whether the broad gauge or the mar