120 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 2 



REPORT OK 



TIIE SURVEYS FOR 

 POINT RAIL ROAD. 



THE CITY 



To Messrs. G. TV.. Harrison, A. B. Spoorier, J, 

 JJ. Townes, Patrick Durkin, William Robert- 

 son, E. James, and John Jl. Peterson, Commis- 

 sioners under the jJct of Assembly, incorporating 

 the City Point Pail Road Company. 



The follovvino; report of a survey made by your 

 order, is respectfully submitted. 



After an examination of the country, between 

 Petersburg and City Point, two routes presented 

 tiiemselves, and as tlie decision of the question of 

 preference between them, may involve considera- 

 tions of private interest, it was thought most pru- 

 dent and advisable to survey and report both, and 

 leave the decision of the question of preference to 

 those most interested. 



When we speak of two routes, it is not to be 

 understood, that there are two separate and dis- 

 tinct routes throughout the entire line. From the 

 topographical features of the country upon the line 

 of the contemplated improvement, it was found 

 that a portion of the distance intermediate between 

 the extremes, admitted of being selected as a route 

 common to both lines. This, it will at once be 

 perceived, naturally divides our work into three 

 parts. The first division extends from Petersburg 

 to a point about one half mile east of Mr. Pey- 

 ton Mason's house, where the two lines unite ; 

 from which point, the common line, which forms 

 the second division, preserves a perfectly straight 

 course, to a point within one mile of City Point, 

 very near the forks of the road leading from that 

 place. The portion from this point, lor the sake ol 

 convenience of reference, may be called the third 

 division. With these preliminary explanations, we 

 can now proceed with greater facility to a more 

 particular description of the two lines of the sur- 

 vey. 



For the sake of distinction, I have called the 

 two routes by the names of the northern and 

 southern routes. 



We will now commence with the northern 

 route, which begins at Bollingbrook Street, and 

 continues along the margin of the Appomattox Ri- 

 ver, to the lower end of the plantation of A. B. 

 Spooner, Esq. — from thence, it pursues a straight 

 line through the flat lands of Mr. Nath. Friend, 

 Mrs. Jordan, and Mr. Knox, and ascends the 

 ridge, by a branch to the left of Mr. Peyton Ma- 

 son's, where it curves gently to the right for one 

 half mile, and irom thence, pursues a perfectly 

 straight line to City Point, and communicates with 

 the river at the steamboat wharf. Upon this 

 northern route, there need not be an inclination 

 greater than 20 feet per mile, and but four 

 curves, of a radius exceeding two thousand feet 

 each. 



The southern line commences at the depot of 

 the Petersburg and Roanoke rail road, and pas- 

 sing along in the street leading from the same, 

 crosses the run between Petersburg and Bland- 

 ford, and continuing on in the same straight line, 

 leaving the New Market race course to the left 

 hand, crosses Skipper's run — here the line ascends 

 the ridge by fbllowmg a hollow or ravine near to, 

 and lying southward of Mr. Nathl. Friend's 

 house, by an inclination of 25 feet per mile. From 



this place, it is a straight line to where it joins the 

 former line at the point already designated. From 

 this to the other point, one mile fi-om City Point, 

 designated as the termination of the second di- 

 vision, the two lines are common to both surveys. 

 From this last point, it curves to the right, and com- 

 municates with the James River at a point 3500 

 feet below the communication of the other line 

 with the river. 



The following statements, in tabular form, will 

 show the undulations, or grades of ascent or des- 

 cent of the two lines, which are remarkably 

 favorable to the application of locomotive en- 

 gines, as is also the direct course those lines pur- 

 sue. 



Southern line beginning at the Depot of the Peters- 

 burg and Roanoke Rail Road. 



