88 RAILROADS. 



gained near a spot called " Rag Point," three miles above the 

 mouth of Commissioner's Creek, and 16 or 18 miles below 

 Milledgeville. The river svv^amp is here about one mile wide on 

 the E., and two miles on the W. The grade is here supported 

 at a mean height of about 16 feet above the level of the 

 swamp for about three miles ; one-third of this distance is of 

 trestle work, and the remainder of embankment. 



The river is crossed by a bridge 266 feet long, supported by- 

 stone abutments and a pier in the centre. Having passed the 

 Oconee river, the road proceeds near the mouth of Commis- 

 sioner's Creek, and then crosses the south side of this creek, 

 and follows its valley for 26 miles ; then leaving it, the road 

 passes, by a cut of 31 feet, the highest point of land it crosses 

 being about 500 feet above tide water, into a prong of Big 

 Sandy Creek ; following this stream about two miles it crosses 

 it, and takes another branch of the same creek, which it keeps 

 for about the same distance ; then crossing the main branch 

 of Sandy Creek, it ascends to the summit "between the Oconee 

 and Ocmulgee rivers ; then following a branch of Swift Creek 

 for a mile and half, it crosses the main creek ; then taking 

 another branch of Swift Creek it reaches Boggy Branch, 

 which leads it to the valley of the Ocmulgee. After reaching 

 the river valley about three miles below the city of Macon, it 

 keeps along the low grounds, and enters the river swamp near 

 the great mound, and terminates at East Macon, the whole 

 distance being 190 miles 3900 feet. 



The road was extended to Macon on the 13th of October, 

 1843, and the Macon depot was opened for regular business 

 on the 1st of November following. , 



The superstructure of the road for the distance of one 

 hundred miles, is laid with the common plate rail. This has 

 become much worn by the heavy increase of tonnage which 

 the road has sustained for the past year, and the Directors, 

 availing themselves of the present low price of iron, have 

 ordered a sufficient quantity of heavy rails to re-lay the whole 

 of this part of the road. 



A considerable quantity of the new iron is already received 

 and is now being laid down. When this shall be accomplished, 

 the efficiency and capacity of the road for business will be 

 much improved. 



