The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-29

| Lie NehtcIH OE AO"hNCHsAhC AsoNtS Al
Adopted-1OO Convicts to be Applied for,
and Work to Commence ut an EARLY Day.
The Board of Directors of the Savannah
Valley Railroad Company, pursuant to adj.
journment, met ut this place on Friday, 23d
instant ut 10 o'clock Il. m.. the entire Board
except one member being present.
Mai. B. +. Wlitner moved that after the
reading of the Report of the ChieI Engineer
that any gentlemen present not members of
the Board be allowed to lay their views be-
fore the meeting as to their respective routes,
and that after they lave been heard, all
present not Directors be requested to with
draw, us it was meeting of the Directors
to locate the Road. Adopted.
Maj. Thomas B. Lee, Chief Engineer,
then submitted his final report, the most
important parts Of which we publish
ENGINEERS OFFICE S. V. r. r.
ANDERSON G. H., s. G., July %, 1880.
| Col. James u. Latimcr President Of the So
vamnah Valley Railroad:
SIR-I herewith submit, rs supplementary
to my report of the 8th July, report of
further operations of the Engineer Corps OH
preliminary surveys and approximate esti.
mates of cost of different lines surveyed,
together with MAPS protiles and full details,
on which Estimates, NC. are based.
By resolution of the Board of Directors, l
have made, since your last meeting, a sur.
vey of what is known rs the Double Bridge
| line. This line divcrges from the main line
| about eighteen miles from Anderson, along
| the ridge between Wilson's Creek ard Long
Branch, to point nearly opposite Mr..
Sutherland's, thence across Long Brlncl, by
Mr.. Burdett's and Theodore Kennedy's.
| (along the ridge between Long Branch and
| Charles Creek crossing Charles Creek
near its mouth. passing Lowndesvile. .85 of
mile from the centre Of the town, (the
western line will pass so of mile from its
centre), crossing Rocky River about one
mile above Young's mill, and uniting with
the main line near Mr.. Bolin Aliens. (See
supplement "k" for details and comparative
estimates Of this line with main line west
of Lowndcsville.)
Ialso, by instructions embodied in same
resolution, made reconnaissance of the
country from Mt. Moria, 81 miles from An
derson, to Lowndesville by way Of the Cars
we'll Institute, with the view of passing tie
line down the Wilson'S Creek and Rocky
River ridge, by way of the Carswell Insti.
tute, and across the valley of Wilson's
Greek and Long Branch to the intersection
of the Double Bridge line near Theodore
Kennedy's. 1t would be impracricable
without increased cost of construction
over the lines already surveyed) to build
road on this route; it would be no shorter,
and in its operation, on account Of the
rise and fall in the grades, would be longer.
The country from Anderson by way of
Carswell to the cross roads at Bolin Aliens,
crossing Rocky River east of Wilson's
Creek, is similar in its character to that
which has been surveyed from Anderson to
the same point by way of the Double
Bridge, and it is very doubtful whether
| shorter or cheaper line can be had than the
line surveyed U refer you to supplement
marked I'D" for detailed Information on this
point, and also to other routes which have
| been proposed.
would present for your consideration
fourth line which have called the 'com-
bined line" This route is composed of the
Trickem line from Hester's quarters to
point near Anderson's Creek, crossing
thence to the Kennedy line. near McCas.
lan's, and on the Kennedy line to Ken
nedy's, G.. & A. R. r. Something over one
mile OF this line has not been instrument
| ally examined, but sufficient examination
has been made to determine it's cost. This
route is two.thirds of q mile shorter than
the Kennedy line. and near the same esti.
mated cost of construction. On location
it can be made one mile shorter than the
Kennedy line and the shortest distance
| from Anderson to Tabor. (See supplement
"B" for detailed character of this line.)
The value of one mile Of distance saved
to the perpetual operation of railroad de-
pends on the amount of traffic passing over
| It. It is assumed, as done by former Engi.
neers, for this Road, at $50, 900 per mile, and
the comparative estimates based on that.
These estimates have been made for
Road Of five feet gauge; maximum grade
of GO feet per mile, and a minimum curva-
ture of 955 feet radius iron, Sc pounds per
yard; approved joint fastenings; 2,64o
cross ties per mile.
The question of gauge is matter of vast
Importance in view of the facts developed
by the workings of the two systems. The
narrow gauge system generally feet in
the United States is but of comparatively
recent date. The first locomotive being put
on he Festiniog Railway (231 inches width
| of gauge) in Wales in 1868. The wonder
| full success Of this venture has induced
other companies to adopt narrower gauge
than the standard (4ft. S3in.), and invaria.
bly has the innovation proved success.
| The following facts, in reference to the
narrow gauge, are not denied:
l. The Road can be built cheaper on the
same location, and be equally as efficient US
the broad road.
9. It's peculiaritics render line of road
possible, where the broad gauge is imprac'
ticable.
3. 1t is capable of doing all the work yet
dcman-ed OF any broad gauge line.
4. It can maintain the same rate Of speed
when necessary.
S. The stability of the engines and cars is
equal to that of the broad gauge, and in
traversing curves there is less disposition to
| leave the track.
6. The passenger cars are commodious,
and comfortable. and may be as luxuriantly
fitted as those on the broad gauge.
/ Z. Goods can be hauled for 25 per cent.
less than on competing broad gauge line.
Tile only objection to this system is, that
the cars can not be run over the b, Dad gauge
road, and consequently their contents must
be loaded into other cars ut the end OF the
road, when the connecting road is OF Il diff
ferent gauge; This seemingly serious DIFF
ficulty is, when investigated, not so obiec-
tionable us might be expected. What does
it cost TO transfer goods? In Great Britain,
2pence per ton; OH the Canada frontier, s
cents per ton; on the Denver and Rio
Grande Road, with labor at two dollars per
day, the cost of handling coal, lumber, iron,
&C., is 10 cents per ton-miscellaneous mer-
chandize, Is cents per ton. The average
cost of transportation of freight may be
taken at II per mile per ton OIL the wide
roads; but on the narrow roads it is found
that we can transport 25 per cent. cheaper
in actual expenses. Thus it will be found
that, even on so short road as yours, and
assuming that it would cost 10 cents per ton
to transfer freight, your actual expenses
would still be 10 per cent less than those OF
the wide road.
Our people, so long accustomed to the size
of the rolling stock Of the wide roads, are
apt to view With contempt the diminutiye