1S38.] 



FARMERS' REGIST K R. 



593 



REPORT OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER OX THE 

 RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG RAIL ROAD. 



To Messrs. Joseph Marks and Son: Lewis Webb 

 & Co.; Lancaster, Denby & Co.; John H. Eus- 

 tace; Jacob Barns & Co; David I. Burr & 

 Co.; R. B. Haxall; F. & J. S. James & Co, 

 and others, of Richmond; and Charles F. Os- 

 borne, Robert Boiling, Samuel Mordecai, and 

 others, of Petersburg; subscribers to the survey 

 for a Rail Road between Richmond and Peters- 

 burg. 



Gentlemen— I have the honor to present you 

 the following report on the surveys which have 

 been made under my direction, with a view to a 

 rail road between Richmond and Petersburg. 



It was ascertained, on a reeonnoissance of 'the 

 country, that a line east of the present turnpike 

 would probably present more numerous curves, 

 and a much larger aggregate amount of deflec- 

 tions, than one west of it. It was thought, how- 

 ever, that it might possess an advantage, in ad- 

 mitting hereafter a connection with Bermuda 

 Hundred by a short and economical branch rail 

 road; that the elevation of the dividing ground 

 between the waters of the James and Appomat- 

 tox would be less on such a line; and passing, as 

 it would for a considerable distance, along the 

 valley of James River, that the expense of road- 

 way formation would be materially diminished. 

 The line traced east of tiie turnpike has in this 

 respect disappointed the expectations which had 

 previously been entertained. Whilst: 1 ! 

 no great superiority in the character of the 

 of it next to Richmond, over the corresponding 

 portion of the line west of the turnpike, the. di- 

 viding ground is found to maintain its elevation: 

 and as it is to be ascended from more depressed 

 levels, the amounts of excavation and embank- 

 ment in passing it are, in consequence, very con- 

 siderably increased. 



It was deemed most advisable, under these cir- 

 cumstances, to predicate the estimate to be made 

 on the presumption of the adoption of a line west 

 of the turnpike. The length of a branch rail road 

 to Bermuda Hundred, from such a line, will be 

 increased about two and a half miles; but this dis- 

 advantage will probably be deemed ofless moment 

 than the adoption of a main line to Petersburir, 

 more expensive in its first cost, and on which, in 

 consequence of more frequent, curvatures in its 

 plan, the maximum velocity which may be attain- 

 able would be necessarily somewhat impaired. 

 The idea has presented itself", on an examination 

 of the plans and profiles since the completion of 

 the survey, that possibly a line passing west of the 

 turnpike as far as the dividing ground between the 

 two rivers, afterwards crossing the ridge obliquely 

 to a point on fhe line east of the turnpike, near 

 the crossing of Ashton's Swamp, and thence pass- 

 ing in the neighborhood of the last mentioned line 

 to Petersburg, might, 'on the whole, present more 

 advantages than any other location. Such a line 

 is at any rate deserving of investigation by the 

 stockholders who may be incorporated to execute 

 the work. It would prove somewhat longer than 

 a line entirely east or west of the turnpike, but 

 would present fewer curvatures than a line alto- 

 gether east 'of it. and the length of a branch rail 



Vol. HI— 75 



road to Bermuda Hundred would not thereby be 

 increased. 



The line selected as above mentioned, as a ba-. 

 sis for the estimates which have been made, may 

 be thus described. 



Commencing at. the intersection of the Man- 

 chester and Petersburg turnpikes, at an angle of 

 4° 45' with the latter work, it is perfectly straight 

 to the crossing of Proctor's Creek, nearly half the 

 distance to Petersburg. It afterwards, in passing 

 up a branch of this stream, deflects to the left, un- 

 til it attains the dividing ground between Proctor's 

 and Ashton's Swamp, when it again bends 

 to the right for about 4030 feet; after which it pur- 

 sues a course varying but little from that of the 

 first portion of the line, across branches of Ash- 

 torfs Swamp and Tinsbury Cree.K, about two miles, 

 to station 395. From this point a line nearly 

 straight has been traced to the Appomattox, op- 

 posite Mr. McKenzie's. 



The grades adopted on the line above described 



iween a level and thirty-seven feet. It is 



believed, on a fine location, that, the steepest of 



these may be reduced, and that no grade need be 



adopted exceeding thirty-three feet per mile. 



In regard to curvature, a consideration of great- 

 er moment where high velocities are desirable, 

 die line surveyed is excelled by but few in our 

 country, or the world. There need be on it not. 

 more than three or four changes of direction at 

 id no radius of less than two miles. 



The whole length of the line is nineteen miles 

 and forty-two hundred feet. Its extension to con- 

 venient points of termination within the towns of 

 Richmond and Petersburg would increase the dis- 

 tance about two miles. 



It has been deemed most advisable, for obvious 

 considerations, to defer any surveys with a view to 

 this object; until the organization of the company. 

 It will then become a subject of consideration for 

 the inhabitants of the two towns, and the stock- 

 holders of the company, how far the introduction 

 of the improvement within their limits may be im- 

 portant to the attainment of its ends. There can 

 be little doubt that whatever determination may 

 for the present be adopted in regard to it, its con- 

 nection with the Richmond and Fredericksburg 

 rail road should be ultimately looked to. 



The following estimates are believed to present 

 a fair view of the cost of the improvement. The 

 •ies embraced in theestimaies fbrroadway 

 formation, with the exception of (he eleventh and 

 twelfth items, are the result of minute calculations 

 of the cubic contents of excavati n, embankment, 

 and masonry on the whole work. It has been 

 deemed unnecessary to give these in more detail. 



Grubbing and clearing, averaged at 



8250 per mile, - - - 85,000 CO 

 61,647 cubic yards excavation, at ten 



cents per yard, - 6,164 70 



-2 do at 12 cents, - 24,223 44 



217,104 do at 13 do - 2S,223 52 



114,232 do at 15 do - 17,142 30 



105,801 do embankment at 11 cts. 



per vard, - 11,633 11 



6 do do 14 - 23.476 84 



do do 15 - 47,234 85 



7,090 perches of masonry, at $4.50, . 31,905 00 



1,400 do do ' at §2.50, - 3,500 00 



!*203.50S 76 



