The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-13

gation a maximum grade of , per cent has been so assumed as the survey basis and has been adhered to and realized
 Preliminary to the commencement of location, therefore, a reconnaissance sur Vey required to be made and was first completed, involving a careful examna- tion of the river bank covering the whole range of terminal possibilities from Hea I'd Shoals lon the main Warrior river, the most southerly point apparent available to Nichols fish trap on the Locust fork approximately the present head of navi- gation, together with the above referred to study of the tonnage centers and lateral connecting roads as determining the proper Birmingham terminus of the line.
 Having tentatively fixed, in the above manner, Avenue E. and Nineteenth street. Ensley, as a Birmingham termi- nus to be used in this preliminary in ,estigation, four distinct routes were found to be open to investigation known and described herein as follows, viz.:
 1. The Heard Shoals route running out of Ensey, the terminus, through Fair field. Doomite, Hueytown and Piney Woods to the end of the present ma cadamized portion of the Oak Grove and ble line required to be developed, termi- hating on the Main river at or near Heard Shoals; total distance of ap- proXimately 2S.5 miles.
 TO TAYLOR'S FERRY
 2. The Taylor ferry route Following the same route out of Ensley. also to the end of the present macadamized portion of the Oak Grove and Toadvine road from which point generally following the course of the present Taylor's ferry road, to terminus at the river near the mouth of Kitty branch, about one mile south of Taylors ferry, with alter native termini at a point Valley creek near it's mouth, or to a third terminus, available at or near the mouth of the Locust Fork; a distance of 245 miles.
 5. The Short creek route. Out of Ems ley through Vivian and Mulga to the end of the present macadamized portion of the Mulga road, thence via Elbow Gap and Vines Gap generally following the present Short creek road, to river terminus on the Locust fork at or near Short creek, a distance of approXima tely 2l5 miles.
 4. The Wylam-Porter route. Out of Ensley via Vivian and Mulga to the end of the macadamized portion of the Mulga road, thence via Elbow Gap, along or near the Porter Ridge road to terminus on the Locust fork at or near the mouth of Fish trap branch; dis tance of 1S5 miles.
 SUMMARY OF ROUTES
 Approximately 90 miles of surveys have been made and completed, covering an instrumental examination of these four routes, the results of which briefly sum- marked is as follows:
 Route No. 1: This line being four miles longer than Route No. Cor 2S.5 miles in length from the above named Ensley terminus, with thereby heavily increased cost presents no apparent advantages over Route No. 2 in any respect, and is therefore not here considered as against more favorab ble routes.
 Route No. 8: This line has so far proved impossible of location on the limit of grade set for this investigation, and it is not probable that it can be so located at any reasonable figure of cost. It is, therefore, also excluded from considera- tion in this report, as against Route No. ? and Route No. 4, although offering slight increased advantages in respect to river terminus over Route No. 4. If this terminus could be reached with proper limit of grade, which was not by these surveys found to be feasible. It is prob able that by the use of long per cent grade in one place. at or near Short creek, this line could be used. It would be, how ever as required to be located,
 
 Route No. 4, and the same distance shorter than Route No. ?. In respect to River terminals the same objections ap- ply to this route as to Route No. 4, via the narroWness of the river and the increa ased mileage to reach 1t by trans. portation lines regularly operating on tbe other river to and from points above the forks. The use of one per cent grade necessarily fixes the limit of load for the entire line as to haul, and the saving in distance would hardly justify this limitation, especially in view of the terminal disadvantages. This poin+, how evef is debatable and possibly not fully deten-lined.
 The results of the surveys thus far therefore seem to indicate that either route No. or route No. should be adopted.
 Each of these routes has certain special advantages in it's favor and disadvantages operative against it's adoption, which points may be briefly summarized as follows;
 TAYLOR'S FERRY ADVANTAGES
 The Taylors Ferry route. or route No. 2
 Distance from Avenue E and Nine teenth street Ensley, to the river bank at the mouth of Kitty branch, 24.5 miles.
 Length or HfSl CLASS cHtIt ana aS- phalt macadam road completed and temporarily available as part of this road, 12 miles.
 Length of new road to be construct ed from the end of the macadam road, 125 miles.
 Total 24.5 miles.
 Surveys of the macadamized portion of this road already constructed and in use show that this section can be widened and rebuilt at comparatively small cost the grading required being generally very light, with very little cemented or hard material involved. With but few changes or relocations the grade of this madacam road can be brought down subsequently, to the required per cent maximum In fa- vor of this route as against any other are the following facts and conditions:
 1. Topographically it is far superior to any other route available. being for the greater part located along the top of broad flat ridge of frequently wide extent on each side of the road already partially built up tthough not
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