The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1904-03-31
Three Routes Proposed.

made q preliminary eXam1natlGI
of the available routes from this
city to the Buttahatchie river
crossing for the proposed line Of
the Columbus, Memphis and Pen
sacOla Railway the past week,
/ THE DISPATCH learns much data
of interest. The examination of
the country north of this city
was made with two definite ideas
in view, to secure the best cross
ing point for the stream north of
US and to procure the easiest
route through the chain of hills
north Of Columbus.
In all three routes were ex-
amined. The first route began
on the western limit of COlum-
bus in the section of the ice fac
tory and ran north paralleling
the chain of hills east of it until
it reached a gap in the chain of
hills on the Delbert Davis place
on the lower Aberdeen road.
After crossing the hills the route
parallels the old SymOns' road
until it reaches the Buttahatchie
river where it would cross at
Blair's landing. The second
route ran from east Columbus
and it paralelled approximately
the Southern railway line run
ming west to Waverly until the
blue cut, one mile west of COlum-
bus was reached, and from this
point it went north at the base of
the hills until it crossed them at
a gap on the Hale place. and once
in the level country north of the
hills it ran to the crossing above,
Blair's landing. The third route
was examined with a view of
missing the hills north of this
city and leaving the eastern sec
ton Of Columbus, it parallels the
Military road until it reaches the
Black Creek section, after which |
it runs north until it strikes But
tahatchie at Kolb Springs, pass
ing Cherokee en- route. The |
only advantages of the latter
route are that the crossing at the
river at Kolb Springs is said to
be better than at Blair's landing, |
and the engineering difficulty, |
said to be slight by Mr.. Foster,
the locating engineer who was in
the party, of crossing the hills
north of this city is removed.
A comparison of the three
routes shows the two former
routes to be about twelve miles
in length, while the latter route
is fifteen miles long. The two
former routes will pass within a
mile and a half of Kolb Springs.
which, with the railroad, will soon
be developed, making an i'm
portant shipping point. From
Mr.. Hale, whose knowledge of
the topography of the country
north of Columbus was invaluable
to the party of prospectors, it is
learned that the difficulty of
crossing the hills north of this
city is practically removed in the
two routes proposed. The road
will require gradual grading to a
low summit and no heavy cutting
will be necessary. Considering
that this has been regarded as
one of the chief obstacles in the
path of this enterprise this in
formation is indeed assuring.
Once across the hills to Amory I
is an open country susceptible of
easy railway obstruction.
Mr.. FORSTER, the engineer IN /
charge of the work, has returned I
to his home in Jasper and is
winding up his affairs. when he
will make a horseback survey |
from Amory to the Buttahatchie |
crossing, examining both sites,
when he will return to this city |
and report to the directors. The
route will then be decided upon |
and the party placed actively in
the field. It is understood that
Mr.. Foster will be ready for
field work with his party organ
lied ahnnt the first of the month |