of notice south of the Portage Railroad that lie within the region
over which a direct line to Pittsburg must necessarily traverse,
afford depressions that will compare favorably with those farther
north; nor does the ground leading to them, east or west of the
mountains, offer equal facilities to obtain a line of uniform
ascent to the summit. The distance from the Conemaugh is too short
to overcome the elevation with the gradient used on the western
division, and, from the Juniata, the greater height to be ascended
would continue the line so long upon the mountain steeps that it
would be exceedingly expensive to procure a roadbed with a gradient
even higher than 80 feet per mile.
From the foregoing description of the most favorable mountain passes,
it will be seen that Sugar Run Gap offers the greatest facilities to
cross the Allegheny.
It now becomes necessary to consider in what direction the Road can
be carried thence to Pittsburg. From an inspection of a map of the
State it will be seen that a straight line, drawn from this gap to
Pittsburg, will fall on Munster, Beulah, and follow the valley of
Black Lick for nearly its whole extent, and intersect the Conemaugh
near Blairsville; thence it crosses the country lying within the
elbow formed by the Kiskeminetas and Allegheny rivers, passing the
Loyalhanna and Crabtree waters, and following, generally, the high
and broken ridge parting the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. That
line, which would approximate most nearly to this course, would--all
other things being equal--be the most desirable for the Road.
The operations of the different corps, on this division, have been
confined to surveys that were necessary to determine the point of
crossing the mountain and to the regions between the Conemaugh and
Pittsburg, west of the Chestnut ridge. Our examinations have not yet
been sufficiently extensive to enable me to give a full description
of that part of the country between the mountain and Blairsville,
and I shall therefore leave it for a future report, with the simple
remark that, from the information before me, I am satisfied that a
practicable line may be obtained by the valleys, either of the Black
Lick or Conemaugh, within the maximum gradient used upon the western
division.
The district of country over which it will be necessary to carry the
road from the Conemaugh to Pittsburg is one of remarkable intricacy.
It lies wholly within the coal measures, and has, at some period,
evidently been nearly a level plane of vast extent, covered by the
ocean. The discharge of the waters from this wide spread field seems
to have been sudden, forming numerous circuitous channels in every
direction, cutting deeply into the soft horizontal strata of this
region, in their descent to the tributaries of the Ohio, leaving the
intervening ridges washed into so uneven a surface as to render the
passage of a railroad along them entirely out of the question. A line
following the Conemaugh--which bears northwest from Blairsville--to
the Allegheny would avoid this difficult country, but the length
of the route would be increased fully 50 per cent., and it is,
therefore, inadmissible.
A route with higher gradients than those adopted on the Juniata
throughout this division seems to be called for by the topography of
the country.
In his report upon the western division, Mr. Miller gives the
following account of the surveys, conducted under his direction by
Messrs. Day and Pemberton, his principal assistants: "If a straight
line be drawn from Blairsville to Pittsburg, it will be seen that
Turtle creek is the only stream that approximates to the proper
course of the road, whilst the Loyalhanna, the chief tributary of
the Conemaugh, crosses it nearly at right angles, and Spruce Run,
Roaring Run, Porter's Run, Beaver Run and others intersect it at
various angles of obliquity. Much time and labor were bestowed by
Mr. Schlatter and his principal assistant, Mr. Roebling, upon the
investigation of this district, and their maps and profiles, loaned
to us by the Canal Commissioners, have been of much service in
our examinations. From a careful investigation of Mr. Schlatter's
preferred route on the ground, it appeared possible to avoid some
of the most formidable obstacles which he encountered by adopting
a higher gradient than his maximum of 45 feet per mile, and by a
reasonable increase of distance at a few points.
"Our trial lines confirmed this, and, in the location made, a maximum
of 1. in 100, or 52-8/10 feet per mile, has been used at several
places. The cheapness of fuel throughout the whole extent of the
western division renders this increase of gradient less objectionable
than elsewhere. Bituminous coal, of the best quality, is everywhere
abundant, and can be delivered at the depots at from 56 to 84 cents
per ton."
The principal changes made in the route referred to in Mr.
Schlatter's report Mr. Miller describes as follows:
"Upon the White Thorn our line keeps the left bank, entirely to its
mouth, avoiding a tunnel of 600 feet, leading into the valley of Buck
Run, and a high bridge over White Thorn creek, and reducing that over
the Loyalhanna, from 90 to 50 feet in height. West of Buchanan's
summit we run level round the hill, between Porter's Run and Beaver
Run, avoiding the Still House summit entirely, where a tunnel of
1,000 feet was proposed, with a cut of 70 feet at its western end,
running out to grade in a distance of 1,700 feet.
"Passing Burnt Cabin summit, by a deep cut, the line descends along
Turtle creek to the Monongahela.
"Below Murraysville the creek makes a double bend, like the letter
S. The former line crossed one of these bends, by a tunnel 600 feet
long, whilst ours crosses the other by a short, deep cut, following
a remarkable pass by which the hill is nearly cut through. These
changes have reduced many of the deep cuts, avoided several bridges,
saved three tunnels, and reduced the length of a fourth, amounting in
all to a reduction of 2,300 feet of tunneling."
After reaching the Monongahela, two routes present themselves,
one following the bank of the stream to Pittsburg, and the other
ascending along the slope of the river hills, enters a valley leading
by Wilkinsburg and East Liberty. Thence, following this valley, it
descends Two Mile Run, and enters the city on the Allegheny side.
The latter, though the longest route, and requiring gradients of 50
feet per mile, has been adopted as it presented the only apparently
feasible route by which a connection could be formed with a road
extending towards the great west.
The comparative cost of grading and damages, upon the two lines,
would be rather in favor of the route adopted.
A line has also been located from the junction of Turtle and Bush
creeks, which passes up Bush creek and through Greensburg to
Bernhard's summit, thence by the valleys of Fourteen Mile Run,
Sauxman's and Magee's Runs, to the Conemaugh, at the gap through
Chestnut ridge.
If the Conemaugh route, by Johnstown, should be adopted, the line by
Greensburg will be about 3¾ miles longer than that by Turtle creek,
but passes east of the Loyalhanna, over much more favorable ground
than any other line examined.
Its advantages, in relation to the local trade of a rich and populous
section of country, west and east of Chestnut ridge, through the gap
formed by the Loyalhanna, give it strong claim for consideration.
Whether the increased length of the line and the difficulties west
of Greensburg will be sufficient to counterbalance these local
advantages we will leave undecided until the comparative estimates
have been fully made out. Another line was traced, leaving Greensburg
and passing into Ligonier valley, through Chestnut ridge, at the
Loyalhanna Gap, thence north of this ridge along Coalpit and
Kendrick's Runs, to the Conemaugh, which resulted unfavorably.
Further examinations will be made through Ligonier valley, striking
the Conemaugh higher up. The Black Lick and the country between it
and the Conemaugh will also be examined during the season.
The following summary statement will exhibit the estimated cost and
distances of a continuous railroad from Harrisburg to Pittsburg, via
Johnstown and Blairsville, graded for a double track, and a single
track and turnouts laid.
The estimate is based on prices that are believed to be ample to
finish the road in a substantial manner. If the work should be pushed
with _cautious energy_, it may be completed for a somewhat less sum.
The width of the roadbed at grade line in thorough cuts of earth is
32 feet, in rock 26 feet and on embankments 25 feet.
================+===================================+=======+==========
| | Dist. |
Items. | Places. | in | Cost.
| | Miles.| Dollars.
----------------+-----------------------------------+-------+----------
| {Between Harrisburg and Lewistown | 60.70 | 705,610
| { " Lewistown and Huntingdon | 36.70 | 582,342
| { " Huntingdon and Robinson's | 35.20 | 703,000
Graduation | { " Robinson's and Sugar Run Gap | 12.25 | 655,000
| { " Sugar Run Gap and Johnstown | 28.50 | 875,000
| { " Johnstown and Blairsville | 28. | 445,000
| { " Blairsville and Brush Creek | 33. | 925,000
| { " Brush Creek and Pittsburg | 15. | 145,000
| |-------+----------
| Amount |249.35 | 5,035,952
| +-------+
| Superintendence, &c. | 250,000
| Contingencies | 350,000
| |
|{Single track, including an average of 450 |
Superstructure. |{ feet of turn-outs, per mile | 2,792,722
| Interest account | 551,000
| Land damages and fencing | 170,326
| +----------
| Grand Total | 9,150,000
----------------+-------------------------------------------+----------
That part of the line below Huntingdon has been located permanently;
thence to Logan's Narrows the calculations are based on a preliminary
location, and between this point and Blairsville upon an experimental
survey, with liberal allowances for contingencies. Between
Blairsville and Pittsburg the road has been carefully located. Upon
that portion of it, between Blairsville and Turtle creek, gradients
of 52-8/10 feet per mile have been admitted, which may be reduced to
50 feet per mile, by the expenditure of an additional sum of $40,000.
Our measurements of distances commence at the depot of the Harrisburg
and Lancaster Railroad Company, 106¾ miles from the corner of Vine
and Broad streets, in the city of Philadelphia, and terminate at the
intersection of Liberty street, in the city of Pittsburg. Those made
for the Commonwealth, under the direction of Mr. Schlatter, began
at State street, in Harrisburg, and ended at Two Mile Run, on the
Monongahela river, giving a difference in favor of Mr. Schlatter's
line of about 1-8/10 miles in the points of starting. Between
Blairsville and Pittsburg our distance has been actually increased
2-8/10 miles over that proposed by Mr. S., after making allowance
for about 6/10 of a mile of an unaccountable discrepancy in the two
measurements. This increased distance is incurred to save three
tunnels, and other expensive work, amounting, together, to $280,000,
or $100,000 per mile.
The whole difference between Mr. Schlatter's and Mr. Miller's
measurements, supposing the points of starting and ending to have
been the same, is 4-3/10 miles. The difference between the points of
starting of the two surveys, on Mr. Foster's division, is about 2/10
of a mile. From Harrisburg to Huntingdon we lose, by following the
river route. 7/10 of a mile[A] on Mr. Schlatter's line, and save,
from thence to the summit of the mountain, about four miles.
As a connection with the Allegheny Portage Railroad would insure to
us most of the advantages of an independent road to the western base
of the mountain, it is evidently the policy of the Company to make
it at the earliest practicable moment. Our location falling within
6-1/3 miles of that road, it becomes a very small matter to effect a
junction with it. If the present means of the Company, however, would
justify the expenditure, the connection could readily be made at the
foot of Plane No. 4, on the west side of the mountain, thus saving
7 out of 10 of the inclined planes. This could be effected for the
additional sum of $1,250,000, or for $950,000 a junction might be
made at the summit of the Portage, avoiding the five eastern planes.
The branch to, or above, Hollidaysburg is, however, the cheapest and
most speedy way of effecting the connection, and when our road is
carried over the mountain it will remain a good feeder to the main
line, and a fair investment of the capital of the Company.
The following is an estimate of the cost of a continuous road from
Harrisburg to Pittsburg, in connection with the Allegheny Portage
Railroad, graded for a double track throughout, except the branch to
Hollidaysburg:
================+===================================+=======+==========
| | Dist. |
Items. | Places. | in | Cost
| | Miles.| Dollars.
----------------+-----------------------------------+-------+----------
| {From Harrisburg to Robinson's |132.67 |$1,990,952
| { " Robinson's to Hollidaysburg | 6.33 | 32,000
Graduation | { " Hollidaysburg to Johnstown | 36.67 |
| { " Johnstown to Pittsburg | 76.00 | 1,515,000
| |-------|----------
| Total |251.67 | 3,537,952
| +-------|
| Superintendence and Contingencies | 419,754
| |
Superstructure. | Including turn-outs on 215 miles | 2,408,000
| |----------
| Cost of Road |$6,365,706
| Interest account | 450,000
| Land damages and fencing | 154,294
| |----------
| Grand Total |$6,970,000
----------------+-------------------------------------------+----------
To the above amount should be added, for the purchase of depot
grounds, erection of warehouses and shops, and the construction of
cars and locomotives, as follows:
Warehouses, including ground at depots $475,000.00
Shops and machinery 185,000.00
Locomotives 510,000.00
Passenger and burden cars 820,000.00
------------
Total $1,990,000.00
Making the whole cost of the Road, graded for a double and a single
track laid, including outfit, $8,960,000.00.
It will not be necessary to expend the whole of this amount until
some time after the Road is in use to Pittsburg. As the business
increases the turnouts must be lengthened, depots and shops enlarged,
and the number of locomotives and cars added to. These will not
reach the sum estimated until probably four years after the Road is
completed, in connection with the Allegheny Portage. We shall also
reduce the cuttings and embankments to a single track width, wherever
the character of the excavations or a deficiency of material for
embankment will justify the curtailment. This will effect a saving,
in the first outlay, of about $450,000, which will not be required
until the business demands a double track.
The expenditure for the outfit, when the Road is opened through, will
not exceed $1,340,000, leaving $650,000 of the estimate for this item
to be disbursed after the Road is finished, to meet the demands of
the increased business for the _time_ stated.
This will leave the cost of the Road and outfit, when opened for use,
in connection with the Portage Road to Pittsburg, as follows:
Cost of Road, with single track and turn-outs, as
estimated $6,365,706.00
Less estimated cost of unfinished grading required to
prepare the Road for double track 450,000.00
-------------
Leaving cost of grading and superstructure of Road $5,915,706.00
To this add interest account $450,000
And land damages and fencing 154,294
--------
604,294.00
Also, cost of locomotives, shops, depots and cars 1,340,000.00
-------------
Total $7,860,000.00
The Board having wisely determined in no event to enter into
engagements beyond their ascertained means, I have thought it best,
thus early, to present an estimate of the cost of the whole work
for their guidance. It will be recollected that the estimate for
the grading is made, in part, upon experimental surveys, with full
allowances for contingencies. By the close of the year we hope to be
able to give an estimate of the whole Road, in detail, from actual
location, which may show a somewhat reduced cost.
Under the contemplated connection with that road, the Allegheny
Portage becomes an important part of our line, and, for the
information of the Board, I insert the following description of it,
extracted from a pamphlet written by S. W. Roberts, Civil Engineer:
"The Portage Railroad consists of eleven levels, or graded lines,
and ten inclined planes. The ascent from Johnstown to the summit is
1,171.58 feet, in a distance of 26.59 miles, and the descent, from
the summit to Hollidaysburg, is 1,398.71 feet in a distance of
10-1/10 miles. There are five inclined planes on each side of the
mountain, varying, in inclination, from 4° 9´ to 5° 51´, or from 7.25
feet to 10.25 feet elevation to each 100 feet base. They are numbered
eastwardly, the one nearest Johnstown being No. 1; that nearest
Hollidaysburg, No. 10. The following table shows the length, rise and
fall of each 'Level' or grade line, and each inclined plane."
============+=============================+=============+============
| | | Feet
Level No. 1 |From Johnstown to Plane No. 1| 4.13 miles|Rise, 101.46
Plane 1 |Ascending |1607.74 feet | 150.00
Level 2 |Long Level | 13.06 miles| 189.58
Plane 2 |Ascending |1760.43 feet | 132.40
Level 3 |Ascending | 1.49 miles| 14.50
Plane 3 |Ascending |1480.25 feet | 130.50
Level 4 |Ascending | 1.90 miles| 18.80
Plane 4 |Ascending |2695.94 feet | 187.86
Level 5 |Ascending | 2.56 miles| 25.80
Plane 5 |Ascending |2628.60 feet | 201.64
Level 6 |Summit of Mountain | 1.62 miles| 19.04
| | | --------
| |Total rise | 1171.58
------------+-----------------------------+-------------+------------
| | | Feet
Plane No. 6 |Descending |2713.85 feet |Fall 266.50
Level 7 |Descending | 15 miles| 0.00
Plane 7 |Descending |2655.01 feet | 260.50
Level 8 |Descending | .66 miles| 5.80
Plane 8 |Descending |3116.92 feet | 307.60
Level 9 |Descending | 1.25 miles| 12.00
Plane 9 |Descending |2720.80 feet | 189.50
Level 10 |Descending | 1.76 miles| 29.58
Plane 10 |Descending |2295.61 feet| 180.52
Level 11 |To Hollidaysburg | 3.72 miles| 146.71
| | | --------
| |Total fall | 1398.71
------------+-----------------------------+-------------+-----------
In conformity with resolutions of the Board, eighteen miles of the
grading on the eastern and fifteen on the western ends of the Road
were placed under contract in July last. In November the contracts
upon the eastern division were extended to Lewistown, and on the 17th
ult., to Huntingdon, together with a few miles of heavy work along
the Little Juniata, embracing altogether 106 miles.
Very little of the grading, on the western division, has been
executed, as there appeared to be no sufficient reason for pressing
that portion of the Road until the means of the Company would justify
a larger expenditure upon it than they have heretofore.
The work upon the eastern division has been retarded from the
scarcity of labor. Time seems to be required to collect the necessary
force upon the line. With the exception, however, of the Susquehanna
bridge, the grading will be prepared for the superstructure, to
Lewistown, this year. The masonry of that important job was first
allotted to contractors. The principal of the firm, though highly
recommended by the officers of the Reading Railroad, proved unequal
to the task he had undertaken, and their contract was abandoned. In
consequence, the remnant of last season, after the contract was let,
was mostly lost.
The work has been re-let to Holman, Simons and Burke, who have
carried it forward satisfactorily. The prevalence of high water,
since the season for laying masonry commenced, has prevented as much
progress, at this time, as could have been desired; but we still
entertain hopes that it will be completed before the ensuing winter.
If this is accomplished, the Road can be opened to Lewistown next
spring. Under any ordinary circumstances it will be finished to
Huntingdon (98½ miles) by the close of navigation in 1849--a point as
low down as we may anticipate a profitable use of the Road from.
Our arrangements have been made with a view to the completion of
the Road to the Allegheny Portage, early in the spring of 1850. An
earlier period could not be fixed, owing to the magnitude of some
of the work on the Little Juniata; a portion of which, embracing
the tunnel, through a point of Tussey's mountain, was located
and contracted for last December, to avoid delay and a premature
expenditure of capital on the lighter work, which would have followed
a general letting of the whole Road at that time, or since, even if
it could have been prepared for contract in season.
If sufficient means shall be obtained to prosecute the western
division, I would recommend that the heavy portions of the work,
between the Conemaugh and the confluence of Brush and Turtle
creeks, should be placed under contract, together with the grading,
continuously from the Portage road to the point of divergence of the
line from that river towards Pittsburg, if the Conemaugh route is
adopted.
When the connection is made with the Portage Railroad, from the
east, there will then be a continuous railroad from Philadelphia
to Johnstown, 282 miles in length, and, if opened at the same time
to near Blairsville, it will be extended to 310 miles, with only
43 miles of turnpike thence to Pittsburg, or 75 miles of canal
navigation, giving a line of communication, with the Ohio river, far
superior to any railroad route existing, or any that will at that
time be built. On freight destined to the interior of Ohio but one
transshipment will then be necessary. The canal boats, loaded at the
terminus of the Road, can be conveyed to any point upon the Ohio
canal.
If your Road possesses no other source of revenue than the local
travel and transportation of the rich and populous region to be
traversed by it--secured, as it will be, from competing lines by
_natural barriers_ stretching out on either side from the Susquehanna
to the Potomac--they would be sufficient to justify its construction.
The influence of the Pennsylvania canal has called into activity all
the elements necessary to render the enterprise profitable, and,
in consequence, it will be more successful with that improvement,
as a pioneer rival, than if it was now to enter upon an unoccupied
field. Whatever may be the effect of your work upon the business of
the canal--and I do not believe it will be injurious--there can be
no doubt but that it will add very materially to the revenues of the
Commonwealth.
Important as the local sources of revenue are to the Company, they
will afford but a limited amount of business compared with that to
be derived from the great West. The route of your improvement is
directly on the line that would be most desirable for a railroad
to pass from St. Louis, or the confluence of the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers, through the center of the wealth and enterprise
of the Mississippi valley to the Atlantic. With a map of the Union
before you, it will be found to be impossible to draw a line upon it
that would accommodate so large an amount of population, or an equal
extent of fertile country.
Through the broad bed of mountains that divide the Atlantic from
the Western States--traversed by our route for 190 miles--natural
gorges are found, cutting all of them to their bases, except the
Allegheny, which is passed with comparatively easy gradients, and
without encountering difficulties of a very unusual character.
These favorable features of the country give to us a line which is
the shortest and best that can be obtained between these sections
of the Union, and insures to the Company the whole of the travel
and light transportation, with much of the heavy trade, destined
to Philadelphia and points north of this city, of the vast region
between a line along the southern shores of Lake Erie, touching Lake
Michigan, and extending to the far West, and the immediate valley of
the Ohio river. The distance from Cleveland to New York being 80
miles shorter by this route than by the New York and Erie Railroad,
much of the travel embarked upon the lakes for that city from the
north and west must also be diverted to this line.