430 FARMERS' REGISTER— MISSISSIPPI AND CHESAPEAKE RAILWAY. 



higli bridge and causeway and ascending in ano- 

 ther ravine to its head, thence descending in a ra- 

 vine, crossing Little Rock-house creek on a high 

 bridge and causewaj', and ascending in a ravine to 

 the surlace of a tabular plain called the Barrens — 

 thence along the Barrens, on ground nearly level, 

 to the head ol' a considerable branch on Bigby 

 creek, and thence down the ravine of the branch, 

 to the valley of Bigby creek — cuttings of conside- 

 rable depth will be required at the ridges crossed 

 by this route: and in order to surmount the ridges, 

 plains inclined at an angle of about one degree, on 

 which as before remarked, horses or mules may be 

 employed, maybe necessary appendages. — Second, 

 a route leading from the Tennessee upward, either 

 in the valley of Cyjjress or of Brush creek as ihv 

 as it can pass at an inclination of 36 feet per mile; 

 thence ascending Buflaloe rido-e by means of an 

 inchned plain for stationary power — thence cross- 

 ing the crest of" the ridge by a cut of 40 or 50, per- 

 haps 60 feet deep; thence crossing a depression, 

 the depth and width of which are not known, 

 which serves as a channel for part of Buff'aloe 

 river when swollen with a flood, and which must 

 be crossed by abridge of greater or less height and 

 extent; and thence along the Barrens, on grounds 

 dividing between the sources of Sinking, Trace, 

 Litde Rock-house, Grinders, and Pond creeks on 

 the south, all of which fail into Buffaloe river and 

 various tributaries of Duck river on the north. 

 The route will of course be serpentine in its pas- 

 sage along the dividing grounds above considered, 

 but it is believed that it will be found nearly or 

 quite level. Having pursued the dividing ridge 

 as above, the route may descend into the valley of 

 Bigby creek by the ravine of one of its branches, 

 and at a declivity not exceeding one degree. 



On this route the crossing of" BufLaloe river will 

 be greatly facilitated by means of a natural bridge 

 or causeway, beneath which is a subterranean 

 channel large enough to admit the free passage of 

 the entire river when not swollen by freshets. 



My belief in the practicability of this route, is 

 grounded upon information given me by a gentle- 

 man who has travelled over most of the ground, 

 and whose statements and opinions are entitled to 

 full confidence. 



The distance from the Tennessee river to the 

 valley of Bigby creek by either of the routes above 

 considered, may be estimated at 50 miles. 



From the jioint at which we enter Bigby valley, 

 the route leads through a valley country in Avdiich 

 Mount Pleasant and Columbia are situated, and 

 wliich is characterised in a remarkable manner, 

 not only for the richness of its soil, but from the 

 multiplicity of insulated hills and ridges with 

 whicli it abounds, and between which are to be 

 found easy passes for a rail road, at the expense of 

 moderate cuttings in the higher parts of" the val- 

 leys, and slight fillings in those poi-tions that are 

 less elevated. On leaving this beautifully varie- 

 gated tract, the route proceeds ujiward in the val- 

 ley of Duck river, passing through a succession of 

 extensive glades, many of" which are clad in a 

 dense growth of red cedar of superior quality. 

 The route will probalily cross Duck river several 

 miles below Shelbyville, and lead through a large 

 tract of" level country denominated the Flat-woods, 

 and pass thence overground somewbnt broken, lor 

 a few miles, to the valley of the Garrison Fork of 

 Duck ii\er, near the confluence of M'Sride's and 



Noah's creeks. The grade on this portion of the 

 road may be effected at a rate no where exceeding 

 36 feet per mile, at a moderate expense of" excava- 

 tions and embankments. 



The distance embraced by this portion of the 

 route, viz: from the entrance into Bigby valley to 

 the junction of M'Bride's and Noah's Forks or 

 creeks, is estimated at 68 miles. 



From the point just mentioned, the route pro- 

 ceeds upward in the valley of Noah's Fork, about 

 eight miles at a grade not exceeding 36 feet per 

 mile, and then in a distance of about two miles, 

 rises to the surface level of the Barrens, upon 

 wiiich it tends easlwardly upon favorable ground 

 to Charles' creek, and thence downward on ground 

 quite as favorable, either in the valley of Charles' 

 creek, or on one of" the ridges adjacent to it, to 

 Collins' river wliich it must cross on a bridge 50 or 

 60 feet high, and about 120 yards long, besides the 

 causeways on either side of tlie river connecting 

 the bridge with the liigh lands. From Collins' 

 river the route continues its eastern course on 

 ground less favorable, for the distance of about 10 

 miles, crossing Rocky river by means of a bridge 

 about 100 f(3et liigh ami 200 yards long, which will 

 be necessary in order to maintain an elevation 

 adapted to the general level of the neighboring 

 country. 



The distance on this ))ortion of the route is esti- 

 mated at 43 miles, which carriers us to the point 

 at which we begin the ascent of" Cumberland 

 mountain. The road may be graduated at a rate 

 no where exceeding 361'eet per mile, except at the 

 liorse plain leading fi'om the valley of Noah's creek 

 to the summit of the Barrens, which as before re- 

 marked will have an inclination of about one de- 

 gree. 



The last and most difTicult portion of the route 

 examined is the passage of the Cumberland 

 mountain, the ascent of which, on the west side, 

 must be ef^i^cted by means of" two inclined plains, 

 with stationary power, and the descent on the east 

 side, by means of a plain descending at the rate of 

 40 to 60 feet per mile, the operation upon which 

 may be similai' to that upon the Sutton and Rain 

 Hill plains of the Liverpool and Manchester Rail 

 Road. To these difficulties maybe added perhaps, 

 that of a horse plain, at an inclination of about one 

 degree, for a distance of about three miles on each 

 side of the summit ridge of the mountain. With 

 these exceptions the route may be graded across 

 the mountain at a rate not exceeding 36 feet per 

 mile, at the expense of cuttings and fillings of 

 considerable depth, at a few places, and occasion- 

 al high bridges of moderate length, in four or five 

 instances. 



The leading features of the route across the 

 Cumberland mountain are briefly as follows: — An 

 inclined plain with a lift of about 150 fi?et, and an 

 inclination of about four degrees; then a level of 

 about three fourths of a mile, on a bench ot" the 

 mountain; an inclined plain rising about 400 feet, 

 at an angle of five degrees. This plain as well as 

 that above mentioned, will be straight, and may 

 have its stationary power located midway of the 

 plain, where water ma)" be had to supply a steam 

 engine. From the head of this plain the route 

 will pass on favorable ground for a distance of four 

 miles, where it must cross the Dry Fork of Cainy 

 creek on a high bridge. The route proceeds 

 thence j)ast thesources of Fall and Piney creeks 



