RAILROADS. 87 



RAILROADS. 



Central Railroad. — In the report of L. O. Reynolds, 

 Esq., Chief Engineer of the Central Railroad, there is much 

 information in regard to this work achieved in a comparatively 

 short period "under the most discouraging circumstances and 

 in the face of a doubting public." 



In the summer and fall of 1834, an experimental survey was 

 made under the direction of Col. Cruger, at the request and 

 cost of the city of Savannah, to ascertain the practicability, 

 and approximate the cost of constructing a Railroad from this 

 city to Macon. The survey was made and the practicability 

 of the road demonstrated. In April, 1836, the company was 

 formed, and preparations made for commencing theT^ad with- 

 out delay. The line leaves the depot in the southwestern 

 part of Savannah, and continues straight N. 77 deg. 10 min., 

 W. for 13 miles — then curving slightly to the left, on a radius 

 of 150,000 feet, it approaches within a mile and a half of the 

 Ogeechee, then bending to the right, on a curve of 5,000 feet 

 radius, it follows the general direction of that river, and at a 

 mean distance of about three miles from it, through the flat lands 

 of Effingham county, until it reaches the county of Scriven ; 

 then taking the hammocks bordering on the river swamp, 

 it follows them to Brinson's Mill Creek ; then takes the valley 

 of this ci'eek which leads out from the river ; having passed 

 around Paramore Hill, and across Buck Head Creek ; the 

 line again resumes the river flats, and continues over them 

 through the county of Burke ; crossing the Ogeechee at the 

 point before mentioned about 12 miles from Louisville. From 

 this point it follows the valley of Williamson's Swamp, and 

 crosses that stream near the Double Bridges, then taking the 

 southernmost of the two southern prongs, ascends the summit 

 of the ridge separating the waters of the Ogeechee from those 

 of the Oconee, which ridge it crosses about 2^ miles south of 

 Saundersville. Having passed the summit, the line goes along 

 the valley of a prong of the head branches of the Ohoopee for 

 a short distance ; then along the head of Sand Hill Creek by 

 which a descent is made to the Oconee river. This riv^r is 



