LEWIS BURG CLE EON 1 0. N. WORDEN, Pbixter. LEWISBURG, CENTER & SPRUCE CREEK ROAD. To James F. Lixx, Thomas Hayes, George Dreisbacii, Francis Wilsox, John M. Taylor, Johx Wilt, David Duncan, H. S. Gross, John Neff,Johx IlASsox,WM.BcR( iiFiEi.D,and Geo. Ik'CHAXAX, Esy's, Executicr. Committee of Lewisbury, Venter tf- Xpruce Creek Railroad. Gestlemen: Having completed the preliminary surreys of the several lines for the Lewisburg, Ccutre & Spruce Creek Railroad, I hereby submit the following Report, showing the comparative grades and distances on the two routes, one by IVnns Valley and the other by Brush Valley. The iSinus Valley survey w.ts commenced at Lewisburg on the IStu of May, by Mr. John M. Siieafkr, Assistant Engiucer, who had charge of the surveys. Jlr. Sheafer commenced at the Bridge across the Susquehanna River, and followed Buffalo Valley, encountering no obstacles to the onstruetion of a cheap and durable road, until he reached l'unns Creek, a distance of 17 i miles from Lewisburg. Along Peuus Creek for about C miles, the route is quite circuitous as the creek is by no means a straight one, and Lluff points of the mouutaiu project on both sides to the water's edge, it will be necessary to crosi this creek several times within 10 miles, and by making two tunnels, one of 2100 feet and the other of 800 feet in length, much curvature is avoided, and the Hue will be shortened between 2 and 3 miles. I will therefore report the cost upon the Tunnel Line ns being the one which would be adopted upon a location of the route. From the head of the Penns Creek Narrows to Spring Mills, the liue is a good one, and the grades are favorable to the construction of a road. Near Spring Mills, the line strikes Siuking Creek, a branch of Pcnns Creek, aud follows it to near Centre Hill, which is the summit between Pcnns Creek and Spring Creek, and the first summit of any consequence which is encountered from Lewisburg, a distance of 47 miles. The heaviest grades necessary to overcome this summit, will be 52 8-10 feet per mile, ascending, from Sinking Creek fur about 21 miles, and 33 feet per mile descending (to Spring Creek) at or near Boalsburg for 3 miles. From Boalsburg to Pine Grove, which is on the summit between Spring Creek and Spruce Creek, the steepest grade will be 33 feet per mile; and from Pine Grove to the mouth of Spruce Creek, the grades need not exceed 33 feet per mile, aud for a portion of the distance would be less. At one place, by keeping in the valley, Jlr. Sheafer made a grade of 50 feet per mile for about 2 miles, but that can easily be reduced to 33 feet, and the line be improved. The line crosses Spruce Creek several times, but the bridges would be small ; by keeping more out of the valley on cither side these bridges would be avoided and a line somewhat straighter and with more uniform aud as easy grades could be fouud ; but how the expense would compare with the Valley line, I am unable to say until the ground has beeu surveyed. The present line joins the Pennsylvania Central Railroad very favorably, crossing the J uuiuta River on a very direct course, and mating an ey carve at tlo junction. The curvature on the whole route will be light, except for about G miles along Penns Creek, where.some of the curves may require a radius of 820 feet. Future surveys may make it more favorable, but it occurs where the grades are easy, and is therefore not as objectionable as it would otherwise be. The total ascent going west from Lewisburg will be 1016 feet, and the descent in the same direction will be G45 feet The length of straight line will be 531 miles. The length of curved line will be 24 J miles, making the distance from Lewisburg to the mouth of Spruce Creek, 78 miles, which distance may be reduced 2 miles by a proper location. If the Tunnels are avoided, the distance would be increased some 2 miles, and the curves around the points proposed to be tunneled would be very short and objectionable. It will be seen by this statement, that neither the grades nor curvature arc serious obstacles to the construction of a road on this route, as there is hardly a road in either this State or New York which has as favorable grades or more favorable curves. The cost of a road is difficult to estimate with any degree of accuracy until after a careful location has been made, as the forms of different structures can not be planned until their position is fixed, but I have endeavored to make a fair estimate from Mr. Shcafer's survey, having made the calculations with a view to such alterations in the line as were cerUin to be made from the notes he took, a;.d I think the following estimate will cover the cost of a road m this route. It is made for a single track, with turnouts at such points as would be required for the business of the country. Clearing and grubbing 78 miles, at 100 per mile $ 7,800.00 1,125,000 cubic yards earth excavation, iuuluding hauling, at 22 cents 247,500.00 7S4.000 cubic yards of rock, including hauling, at CO cents 470,000.00 Extra cost of Tunnels 130,000.00 8,000 cubic yards of bridge masonry, at 5.1.50 44.UU0.UU 9O0O " culvert " 3.50 7,000.00 4,500.00 3,000 " " slope wall 1.50 3,000 " " riprap " .50 2,000 lineal feet of bridging " 20.00 Fencing 78 miles, 50,000 rods, " 1.00 Land damages, 78 miles, at 1 500 per mile 1,500.00 40,000.00 50,000.00 39,000.00 Total cost of grading, fencingand land damages $1,041,300.00 On mile of track cott 100 tons of Iron, weighing GO lbs. per yard, at $75 $7,500 2,400 Gross Ties, at 30 cents each 720 50 kegs of Spike at 5 250 450 Chairs, at 40 cents 180 Laying track complete 400 51 miles including turnouts, at 89,050 $733,050.00 Depots, Water Stations and Engine House 25,000.00 $1,799,350.00 Add for Engineering, Agencies and Contin gencies, 5 per cent. 89,967.00 Total cost of Road tl.889,317.50 which divided by 78 miles will give per mile $24,350.22 In conclusion, I will state that a careful survey with a view to permanently locating the line on this route, would materially improve the alignment and grades, and of coarse 1 iuight increase or decrease the cost Bomewhat, hat I do not thiuk to very great amount. II. C. 1IICKOK, Editor. After completion the Penns Valley route to the mouth of Spruce Creek, Mr. Sheafer commenced at or near Boalsburg to make a survey through Brush Valley to Lewisburg, finding a good route all the way to within 3 miles of the summit of Rapid Run, no grade exceeding 33 feet to the mile, and the minimum radius being 1146 feet. From there to the summit, they ascended 300 feet in 3i miles, requiring a graue 01 nearly 00 icci per uiuu, nut nuitn uuni. uuhuuku to GO feet by striking the side of the mouutaiu two or three miles back. On the summit, the route is level for about two miles, and then descends very fast towards Buffalo Valley, falling 1175 feet in 11 miles, or at the rate of 102 2-10 feet per mile. By following down the side of the mountain from the summit to where it runs out, sufficient distance might be gained before reaching Buffalo Valley to reduce the grade to 90 feet per mile for 13 miles ; but I do not think any easier grade than that can be fouud. From there to Lewisburg the alignement and grades arc both very favorable, lfcwill be observed that the grades ou this route do not compare favorably either way with those on the Penns Valley route, nor do I think a route can be found through Brush Valley to Lewisburg with more favorable grades than those here reported. The distance from Lewisburg to the summit of Rapid Run islSJ miles, and the height to overcome is 1200 feet, which, even if you could commence ascending at Lewisburg, would give a grade of G4 feet per mile for the whole distance. The curvature on this route is of an easier character than that on some portions of the Penns Valley route, the miuimuin radius being 1146 feet. The proportion of straight and curved line would be 50 miles of straight line, and 271 miles of curved line, making the total distance between Lewisburg and tho mouth of Spruce Creek 77 miles, or half a mile shorter than the Penns Valley route. The cost of a road on this route would also be less, as no Tunnels would be required and the Bridging would be less. I will therefore estimate it at $160,000 less, making it cost $22,313.77 per mile. Examinations were also made for a middle route between Penns and Brush Valleys, but it was found to be impracticable, on account of the steepness of the grade, and abandoned. The following comparison betweeu the Penns Valley aud Brush Valley lines sums up the leading features on both routes. M y own opinion is that the best route for a Railroad frit,, T..nrii.l.lltr. lt tha 1. niWV 1 1'l i i, fnfl'ul ltnilrrifol 14 ' through Penus Valley, as I consider the advantages it possesses over the other route in easy grades will more thuu compensate for the extra cost. The Pexxs Valley Line is 78 miles long. Cost per mile, 824,350.22. Maximum grade, asceuding west, will be 52.8 feet per mile. " " east, " 33 " " Total rise and fall, 1001 feet. Proportion of straight line, 531 utiles. curved " 24 f " The Brush Valley Link is 77 miles long. Cost per mile, 822,313.77. Maximum grade, ascending west, will be 90 feet per mile. u eastj CO " " Total rise and fall, 2300 feet Proportion of straight line, curved 50 miles. -it I believe the above statement shows plainly the results of the surveys on both routes. Mr. Sheafer surveyed 151 miles of line altogether, and kept carefully-taken notes of the soil, character of tho country, &c., which of course have guided me in estimating the cost of the road. Col. Josei'M Paxton and I also passed over both lines during the progress of the survey, and think that the road 9 not only an important one to Union, Center, and Huntingdon counties, but will be a profitable one when built. A section of country like that, eighty miles wide, with railroads running on each side of it, can not lung remain without an outlet to those roads, and there is no unoccupicdroutc in the country showing as good evidence of furnishing a profitable business to a road as this one. The Iron ore, Limestone, and the larga quantities of Grain raised along the line of this road, and in the adjoining Valleys, show evidences of a large local trade, which would no doubt be iucreascd by the erection of more Furnaces, and Sawmills, for there are large tracts of good timber land on Penns Creek, and Pine Creek, which lies north of it ; and this road being a link in the shortest line between New York and Pittsburg or Cincinnati, will certainly entitle it to a large share of the through travel between those points. It would connect at Pottegrove with the Cattawixsa, Williamsport & Erie Railroad, which has no grades exceeding 33 feet per mile to its eastern termiuus ; and when this road is finished it must be a portion of one of the main trunk lines between New York and the West. It will give to the Pennsylvania Central Railroad a great deal of freight and passenger business, that otherwise never would go near it ; and it can never divert any business from that read, as we do not claim it to be a rival route between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, but one which will open new avenues of business to the Central Road, and give that Road a diiect communication with New York, offering unequaled inducements in distance and grades for passengers and freight A comparison of distances between Cincinnatti and New York, will show this to be the shortest route between those two points. The distance from Cincinnatti to New York, by the N. Y. Central R. R. via Cleveland & Buffalo is 893 miles. N.Y.&Erie " " " Dunkirk 862 " Sunbury&Erie" " " Erie 825 " Penn. Central " " Harrisburg & Phila. 739 " " Lewisburg, Centre &, Spruce Creek R. R., the Cattawissa, Williamsport & Erie, and the New Jersey Central R. K. 713 " It will be seen from the above that this route is over 100 miles shorter than the Sunbury & Erie, and nearly 150 miles shorter than tho New York routes. It is also 26 miles shorter than the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, and when we take into consideration the fact that from the mouth of Spruce Creek to New York, a distance of 292 miles, there is no ascending grade in the direction of the trade exceeding 3$ feet per mile, there can be no doubt of its advantages as a cheap and expeditious route. Annexed to this is a general Map showing the different roads running through this State and New York, and their connections with the western roads. This route is marked in red, all other roads in blue ink. A detailed Map of the Lewisburg, Center & Spruce Creek Railroad, with a Profile of the Grades is being made, which I will send to you as soon as completed. All of which is respectfully submitted. THOMAS A. EMMIT, Datd July 20, 1853. Civil Ei'mcer. LEWISBURG, UNION COUNTY, PENN., FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1853. DIAGRAM showing the connection of tho Lewisrurg, Cexter & Shuck Cheek IJailkoad, Kastwanl with the Cattawissa, ihe Lehigh, and the New Jersey Central Ilailromls, to New York City, :iu. Westward, witu the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, thenca to Cleveland, or to Columbus and k jS) 111? II j Ml $L ill IS Si S " : I n iJ " iww I" 1 f: ' -f v'i 1 SJ " o I" . ' ! I s& V X5553 d - J0 "B. it O. Ii.lt." Rtnnd lor Hiiliimore 6i Ohio Railroad. Railroad." "C. W. & H- R.R." for Catiawissn, Williamsport Railroad. S. & E. R.R." for Sunbury & Erie Railroad. Railroad. It is onr painful duty this morning to announce the death of Joiin Price Wetii erill, Esq., one of onr most esteemed and honored citizens, lie died at the United States Hotel, in this city, at two o'clock yesterday morning after a brief but severe illness, said to have been dysentery, in the 59th year of his age. In the death of Jlr. Wcthcrill our community has lost a citizen whose place- it will bo found difficult to supply. lie was emphatically one of God's noblest works an honest man, who was influential members of the Whig party of I Philadelphia, no other motive than that of: the public good prompted his course. lie sought no offioe from the Government, and there was probably none in the gift of any Administration which he would have accep tod. "With our Municipal Govermcnt he was prominently identified for the last quar ter of a century, having during all that time been a member of tho City Council, and was President of the Select Councils, at the time of his July 25. not only upright and just in all his deal ings, bat who had a generous and noble heart, and to whom an appeal for aid to further any benevolent movement, and relieve the wants and sufferings of his fel low men, was never made in vain. Pos sessed of a large share of this world's goods, he was ever ready to contribute with en larged liberality to any enterprise calcula Fenny 8avlngs Banks. Tho New York Courier and Knquircr states that a new financial feature of the day is the establishment of a " Sixpenny Savings bank" tution is organized under a charter granted by the Legislature of tho State, and will, no doubt, be an example for several others to follow. Such institutions are product ive of vast good in the community ; not I merely iu the matter of dollars aud teni?, ted to promote tho prosperity of Philadel phia, and to improve and elevate the con dition of its citizens. Though for many years one of the iu(t active, liberal, aud "S. R R." for Susquehanna Railroad. "R. R U." for Keidmg & Erie Kailrood. "XV. & K. R R." (or Wjlliamspori & Eunira "L.C. & S. C. R.R." lor Lewisburg, Center & Spruce Cretk but in promoting habits of prudence and economy among those of small meaus. In Massachusetts, a year since, the number of Savings Ranks depositors was no less than 97,000, with an aggregate deposit fund of 818,400,000. In other word, 1 out of every 10 persons in tho State is a depositor iu su !i institutions, with an avenge deposit of twj hundred dollars each. This is a large sum in the aggregate; exceeding, considerably, the entire bank capital of Kentucky and Ohio combined, with a population of three mil lions. The class of people whom it is now proposed to make depositors iu the new " Sixpenny Rank," is one that is utterly excluded among tho older institutions. Rut there are persons who require aid of this kind, in forming sober and regular death. riulada. Kites, in that city. This insti habits, and we ran not look upon the new establishment in any other light than as the beginning of a new and highly impor tant era in the financial and domestic his tory of the Empire city. Honor to Mas- i fciwhufeells for hir industry and cci'Uomy VOLUME X NO 15. I . WlK.I.E XlMBER. If 3. SNYDER COUNTY ' T'$urt luAtiwj bffn 4,.tU ,, jr tmlHliim i,f vmie of ihe trrms if l!,r "ACT r.m Tnz mskctiok or a .nlw col:.tt oit or r. rt or Unhx cti.Tr t i-.t cau.i i S.WUKK, AND IttLATlVK To THE M.AT JUSTICE ! UxiuJ COI MTT," Jr rr,y U tiiir ail tli iSirtiont rrlntlior. tu Uix County Jiaittivy, ami ILrjtruH. Sucrjo.N 1. J ircjfW, .fv., Thatall that territory now iu L'tii'in euuuty King south of a line coiunieuciug at the North umberland bridge, theuue by the New Ber lin mail route to I'cuut cretk, at a point about one-fourth of a mile alxjve Mowrer's mill, where said crek turns suddenly to wards the Houih, thutiut) up IVnns creek to it- nearest contact with the east eud of Jack's in -uutain, and tbeuce along the summit of Jock's mountain to the western liue of Uuion comity, Bhall be, and the same i hereby erected iuto a new county, to be called SuydKr," on the condition ht-rt inalli r exprcs.-ed. r-'KCTlox 2. That are hereby appointed Commissioners, who shall, before the fourth day of July next, properly ascertain and mark the diviniou line between the counties -f Union and Suyder, and also betweeu the election dis trict uf Penns, Middle l'rk and Union, a esprfcted iu this act, and also tu make three p!it. i.r drafts of sid riiviaiou lines, enc city of which they shall forward to the Secretary .f the C mmonwealtb, and one to the Keister and if et-order of Union, aud Snyder counties respectively, and the said iViuuiifsiuners shall each receive tha sum of dollars for eviry day nec essarily engaged iu running said (iivir.iu!i liue, an in making out ti. . d-.-f.s of tl.u s-iiiic, aii-i f r tii :r coin r; :, a ; irju, u.d for all ut 'J " i-i;-o.yc-i '-j t!:tlii iu ruiuiiog said liue, the uu.iu'rsioiu-rs rf I ui 01 k iuiit hail l" 1 ti.tt t'.ii pay l-y or ders ou the I'.uu'y treasury. KCYJOS S. 1 Lt SUtt:;b.' grc-ucde ;.Ld buildings, iiud a jul fi r I' .bi . .. ji.m . y f r said county !'J..yiItr, m.e .no: :i it grouii.I,-,, huiiuiiigH a J.. t'T raid cuuiity of Union, to be approved ly m .u jority of the court stud gr.tud jurors of the respective couu'ieH : reoared shall be s cured to i.e si i . ui.tt-'s withru" any tax or coi-t whatever being iiup)sel upou the taxable of said couuvies for such ex penditures. pkctiox 4. That to secure the condi tions expressed iu the third section of this act, there bo pledged in trust to the Associ ate J udges and the Conimisaiouers of Union county, on or before the first day of August next, one or more responsible, bona fide subscriptions, of not less than Ten Thous and Dollars, from within the limits of each couuty respectively, for the purchase of grounds, aud the erect ion of buildings, as aforesaid, for the counties of Union and Suyder, said buildiug to be of stone or brick, with firc-proof roofs and fire-proof rooms for recorls,and that the subscriptions so pledged shall be approved by said J ud ges and Commissioners, and published, with the name of the sites for which they are pledged, in the newspapers of Union couuty, the second week iu the mouth of August next, and that upon such notico being given, the subscriptions aforesaid, shall be transferred to the Ruilding Com mittees provided for such subscription respectively ; and the grounds necessary, with the proper county buildings, shall be finished aud conveyed in fee simple to the proper authorities of the respective coun ties, on or before the first day of January, 1S55. Section 5. That upon securing tha rubac-rrptious specified in the fourth section of this act, the inhabitants of the said county of Snyder shall, after the first day of Jauuary 1S54, be entitled to and at all times thereafter have all aud singular the courts, jurisdictions, offices, rights, and privileges to which the inhabitants of tho county of Union are uow eutitled by th constitution and laws of this Common wealth, and that the offices hereby provi ded for said euuuty shall be filled by the qualified voters at the general election in October uext. Skctiux G. That the persons holding offices in the couuty of Uuion as heretofore organized, whu6c residences may fall with in the limits of the couuty of Snyder, may continue to hold their respective offices until the terms for which they were elect ed shall have expired, and all the vacan cies iu county offices in the couuty of Union, whether by resignation or other wise, shall be filled at the general election on the second Tuesday of October next, aud annually thereafter according to tha terms of the geiieral laws regulating the respective offices. Section 7. That the place for the sites of jails aud other buildings for the counties of Union and Suyder, be decided as fol lows : At the general election in October uext, tho voters of the several' election districts iu the tountWs aforesaid may wta r i i
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