332 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 6 



tution of such rules as may be found- necessary 

 (or the well ordering and conducting of the affairs 

 of the company, the disbursements^ repairs of the 

 road, and I'requently miportant negotiations — in- 

 dicate the necessity of filling the appointment 

 with one whose thorough knowledge of business, 

 enlarged and liberal views, qualify him for its 

 duties. And aeain I observe the connexion of 

 tliis with other improvements, with steamboats 

 and stage lines, and the collisions and difi'erenees 

 which cannot (ail to arise, attach to your ajjent a 

 responsibility of no ordinary character, and require 

 the exercise of great firmness, with a full and 

 comprehensive understanding of the rights and 

 interests of the company. And in my last annu- 

 al report, after adverting to the many advantages 

 resulting from a connexion with other improve- 

 ments in progess, and the great addition thereby 

 to your income, I say that even with such brilliant 

 prospects, t!te road cannot succeed without the 

 most skilful and prudent management of its gene- 

 ral operations, and the strictest economy in the 

 application of its resources; and this can only be 

 insured by able and zealous officers, and I now 

 take the occasion to repeat that no advantages, 

 nor can any combination of circumstances coun- 

 teract the effects of bad mana<rement, and I reite- 

 rate that with prudent and skilful management, 

 your road cannot fail to be productive. 



The repairs of the road since the 1st of Janua- 

 ry, notwithstanding the many disadvantages un- 

 der which they have been made in the short days 

 of the most inclement winter months, and the ad- 

 vantage always taken of urgent necessity, such 

 as existed in the crippled state of the road be- 

 tween Portsmouth and Suflfblk, have only cost 

 S4762 35: of this 82711 17 have been expended 

 between Portsmouth and Suffolk, and the remain- 

 der S2051 16, between Suffolk and Weldon. 

 There are now engaged in the repairs of the 

 road, five overseers and thirty hands. It is ne- 

 cessary, however, and directions have according- 

 ly been given to increase this force to about 60 

 hands for a few months, with the view of remov- 

 ing the earth from the rails which was beaten 

 down against them from the horse-path by the 

 rains of the past season, and the weeds and grass 

 which were permitted to decay and lodge around 

 the timbers, and which are now springing up with 

 renewed vigor, and, if not soon removed, will to- 

 tally destroy the road. 



All experience has proved the advantage and 

 the economy of keeping on hand a supply of tim- 

 ber. Contracts are made cheaper when it is 

 known the demand is not pressing, and by being 

 seasoned before used, the durability is much iiv 

 creased. I have accordingly contracted lor about 

 three hundred thousand feet of rails and thirty 

 thousand sills, to be delivered in tlie course of the 

 year. This amount will be sufficient for the pre- 

 sent, and will leave a good supply on hand for the 

 ensuing year. I have also given directions for the 

 erection ol' suitable sheds for the preservation of 

 the timber, and for buildings contiguous to them, 

 for the accommodation of the overseers, and hands 

 engaged in the repair of the road, who on rainy 

 days, can be occupied in dressing and preservin<T 

 the timber for use. ° 



The road between Portsmouth and Suflblk was 

 completed in the summer of 1834. The super- 

 •trueture consists of heart pine raile 7 by 5 inches, 



keyed into oak, pine, chinquepin, sassafras, and 

 cypress sills, 8 feet long and from 10 to 14 inches 

 m diameter, flatted on one side and placed 4 feet 

 apart. The iron on this poriion of the road is f 

 by 2i inches. Between Suffolk and Weldon, the 

 superstructure is on the same plan as the above. 

 The iron is ^ by 2 inches; the rails are 5 by 9 

 inches, keyed into sills of oak not less than 12 

 inches in diameter, and placed 5 feet apart. The 

 timbers were laid at different periods between the 

 summer of 1834 and the winter of 1836. There- 

 pairs on this portion of the road, during the pre- 

 sent year, will comprise the renewal of about one- 

 sixth of the timbers between Suffolk and Black- 

 water, and but very iew for the remainder. Be- 

 tween Portsmouth and Suflblk it will be necessa- 

 ry to replace at least three-fourths of the timbers. 

 The bridges will require very partial repairs. 

 But lew of them need any. Whenever it is ne- 

 cessary to renew any portion of the road entirely, 

 1 would advise the adoption of the superstructure 

 recommended by me ibr the Roanoke, Danville 

 and Junction Railroad, and which is now being 

 put down on the Wilmingion and Raleigh Rail- 

 road. By this plan, the rails are fastened on the 

 tops of the sills by trenails and knees, instead of 

 being keyed as they ordinarily are into the sills. 

 This renders it necessary that the sills should be 

 square and entirely of heart — and indeed the ne- 

 cessity of the last requisite is no less important 

 upon any plan, for the sap not only rots in the 

 course of a few months, but promotes the rapid 

 decay of any timbers in contact with it, and there- 

 fore the contracts herein reported are for heart 

 sills. 



I have stated that the engines are now and 

 have been running with great regularity. The 

 time consumed in the daily trips over the road, 

 (including delays) is 6\ hours. Deducting deten- 

 tions for wood and water, it gives for the travel- 

 ling time 5^ hours, being a speed at the rate of 

 16 miles per hour. This statement, compared 

 with the state of things which existed just prior 

 to my taking charge of the road, (as for example, 

 the cars were from 2^ to 3 hours in running be- 

 tween Portsmouth and Suffolk, a distance of 17| 

 miles,) gives an idea at once of the improve- 

 ment in the condition of the road. It is now in 

 good repair ; but to keep it so, will require the 

 most constant attention. I would hereby remark, 

 while on the subject, that the arrangements which 

 have been made, contemplate the most thorough 

 repairs in the course of the present year. The in- 

 terests ol' the company, and their duty to the pub- 

 lic, require that the road should be kept in the 

 best possible order. 



I have next to state the condition of the motive- 

 power and vehicles of transportation. When I 

 took charge of the road, the two heavy engines, 

 before mentioned as having done so much dam- 

 age to the road, were condemned by me, on ac- 

 count of their weight, (though in other respects 

 very superior macliines,) and under an order of 

 the board to sell them, a contract has been made 

 with the maker to exchange them for lighter en- 

 gines. Of the remaining five engines, there was 

 but one in running order — the other four had been 

 improperly condemned by the late foreman of the 

 shops, as will appear by the annexed return which 

 exhibits the performance of the locomotives, and 

 the cost of the repairs for the months of January, 



