Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-12-28

An Interesting Report by Chief
Engineer Collins.

Engineer Collins.
KIRKsvILLE, Mo-, Dec. 18th, 1888.
To the President and Board of Di-
rectors of the st. Louis IL n. w.
r. r.:
Gentlemen:-In pursuance Of
your instruction of July 25th, a care.
full survey has been made from Plum
Creek Station. "a point on the st.
Louis & Hannibal Railroad,) via
Monroe City. Shelbyville, Kirksville,
Unionville, Allerton to Leon, Iowa,
and from Unionville, Mo-. to Cory
don, Iowa, via Seymour. A map
and profile of these surveys are here
with submitted, together with care
fully calculated estimate of the cost
of constructing the same. These es-
Inmates are based upon the following
specifications:
Maximum grade fifty-fve feet per
mile, Embankments fourteen feet
wide at top of banks, Excavations,
twenty feet wide at bottom of
Cuts extreme haul of earth, one
thousand feet.
For bridging, the calculations are
made for complete bridges of latest
and most approved plans, pile or
stone foundations for all structures
six stringers, heavy oak ties (sawed)
with guard rails bolted, &c, &c.
The culverts or drains to be of the
best double strength, salt-glazed and
vitrifed stoneware railroad culvert
pipes, which when properly placed
in position, are practically indestruct-
ible.
Stock guards and'road crossings to
be put in all places where necessary
at this time.
These estimates include every
item for making complete roadbed,
ready for rolling stock and opera
tion.
Plum Creek station consists of a
switch only, station-house not yet
having been built. 1t is located liz
miles from st. Louis, aud Is miles
from Hannibal, and is situated in
the valley of Plum Creek, from
which the station derives its name.
We start at once in westerly di-
rection, following up the valley Of
the west fork of Plum Creek, until
we reach the ridge or divide" be-
tween Spencer Creek and Salt River,
crossing this divide, a distance of
two miles, we descend 220 feet, to
the valley of Salt River, making use
of Sugar Creek in making the des-
cent. Sugar Creek is quite crooked,
lortuous and rocky, necessitating
two miles of comparatively eNpen-
sive work
Crossing the valley of Salt River
diagonalv, distance of nearly four
miles, we enter into and follow up
the valley of Brush Creek to its
source making an ascent of 221 feet
to the Monroe City divide. Fol-
lowing this divide in westerly di-
rection FIVE and one half miles brings
to Monroe City, crossing the Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Texas railroad
about one half mile east of Monroe
City.-(Grade Crossing).
The country through which the
survey passes between Plum Greek
and Monroe City, Is in high state
Of cultivation, is we'll watered with
running streams and beautiful
springs, the soil being very produc-
tive of the various cereals common to
this latitude, about eighiy-fve per
cent. of the area being in cultivation.
A study of the map will show you
that about l45 square miles of terri
tory would be directly tributary to
this route.
Passing through the southern
part of Monroe City, which has
population of about two thousand
souls, we cross the Hannibal a.
st. Joseph railroad just west of the