Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-20
soUTHERN's 3-c's. DIVISION
Report of Colonel AveriIl to tho Rail-
road Commission.

Report OF Colonei AVerII 10 tno neh
road Commission.
The railroad commission has made
public the report of Col. J. H. Averill
In regard to the condition Of the prop
erty of that branch Of the Southern
road formerly known as the "3-Cs."
AS has been stated, the commission
has ordered the general manager OF
the Southern to place new trestles over
Bullocks creek and Cane creek and to
put new crossties under the road from
Blacksburg to Yorkville to the number
Of $50 to the mile, and 522 to the mile
on the rest Of the road.
Col. Averill's report to the commits
sion states in part:
TrestIes.
There are 20 trestles, varying In max
imum height from to So feet, and
with a total lineal length Of 2O.l62
feet, the shortest trestle being 40 1eet
in length, the longest one LIB rect
In all over 6,OOO,00O 1eet'
board measure, OF timber.
OF these trestles there are 20 on tne
line between Blacksburg and Camden,
their maximum height varying from lo
to 90 feet, and with total length or
$3.50 feet.
I deem it best to give result OF In
spection of each trestle, which is as
Kings creek, length 1,215 feet, max
imum height 96 feet, 81 bents. the
guard rails; ties, cords, stringers ana
caps of this trestle are In good order.
with the exception Of one bent on the
bottom tier, all the upright posts are
in good order; one post is decayed at
the foot, but its position Is such that
it does not impair the safety OF the
structure; the blocking on which the
bents rest is, in many cases. defective
and should be removed. Lateral ana
cross bracing good and sufficient.
Manning branch, length 46o 1eet'
maximum height "A feet; 30 posts.
The guard rails, ties stringers ana caps
of this trestle in bad order, but not
bevond a factor of perfect safety Tor
passing trains. There was a bridge
force at work here, replacing the entire
deck work; posts, cords, sills, braclng
and footings in good order.
Bullock's creek, length $50 feet; max
imum height so feet; "a bents. the
deck work Of this is in good order.
From the nature Of the ground, the
course of the water and the old timbers
under the trestle, which are In no way
with it, and which, for ap-
pearance sake, should have been re-
moved long since, the lower portion OF
this trestle has the appearance or De-
ing in bad order. Every bent was care
fully inspected, and only one-tne
ninth from the west end-found to De
of a nature to justify removal; there
was a new bent framed, ready to put IN
position by the bridge force now WORK
Ing on the trestle. The rootlngs, or
bookings, are in good order, and while
four of the brace posts show some signs
of decay at the foot, it is by no means
so extensive as to impair the saiety
Of the trestle, it being confined entire
ly to the sap Of the timber, leaving
in every case from seven to nine lnches
of sound heart to bear the strain, the
weight being carried by the
upright posts, which, with the excep-
tion of those In the bent before re-
ferred to, are all in good order. the
bracing is in good condition.
Dry Fork, length 280 feet; maximum
height so feet: 19 bents. This trestle
is in good order from top to bottom.
Turkey creek, length $50 feet; maxi
mum height 81 feet; % bents. This
rebuilt by a bridge force which, / am
advised, was at work on 1t before the
accident at Fishing creek.
Fishing creek length 285 feet; maxi
mum height 48 feet: 10 bents. There
six bents, 80 feet of the old
trestle: that portion which recently
went down with the train has been re-
placed by new work. A most careful
examination of the timbers in the old
work, as it now stands. fails to war
rant my condemning 1t as unsafe for
the present traffic of the road for at
least six months, after which time
some renewals should be made.
Crossing at Rock Hill: There are
two trestles here. carrying the track
over the c. c. & A railroad and the
public road: $50 and 106 feet In length;
22 and IA feet in height; both OF these
Fifty-nine Mile, two short trestles,
As and so feet in length; 16 and Il feet
in height: in good order.
Fifty-six Mile, one trestle 60 feet IN
length; 12 feet high; in good order.
Catawba river, west side, 255 feet
long: 54 feet maximum height: east
side 165 feet long, 81 feet maximum
height. These trestles are new
and in first class condition.
Waxhaw creek. 240 feet in length;
maximum height 46 feet; with the eX-
ception of some cords, this trestle Is IN
good order: the cords referred to have
some decayed corners: there are, row
ever, three cords on each side or the
track, of by IA timber. and In every
instance on this, as on other trestles'
two Of the cords were found perfectly
sound and Of more than sumclent
strength to carry the trains with sa1e-
ty.
Mill creek, length 255 feet; maximum
height 40 feet: this structure Is III
good order. .,
Cane creek, 210 feet in length; maxi
mum height 35 feet; there has oeen
work done on this trestle
and it Is in good order. o.
Castor branch, 165 feet in length; 20
feet high: entirely rebuilt within the
last year. o-
Little Bear creek, $50 feet long. 81
feet high: entirely rebuilt within the
last year.
Big Bear creek, 795 feet long; Al feet
high: while do not consider this tres
tie unsafe, it is, in my opinion. In worse
condition than any on the line; new
timber Is on the ground and a force OF
fifteen carpenters has begun the work
Of repairing it. There are some defec-
tive posts. sills, caps. cords, cauble
blocks and crossties. There are 81
bents in the trestle. thirty Of them two
story; of these. six Of the top bents are
out of plum, about onethird Of an inch
to the foot: there Is no evidence on the
timbers of this movement having occur
red recently and from the nature of
the bracing I am Of the opinion that
the detection was caused by jar in
the past, and that the previous man.
agement, not having sufficient force to
readjust them, they were securely