THE

REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE.

VOL. IV.-NO. 21.

EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD.
PHILADELPHIA, NOV. 14, 1829.

BALTIMORE AND SUSQUEHANNA RAIL

ROAD.

Office of the Baltimore and Susquehanna
Rail Road Company, Oct. 18, 1829.
To the Stockholders of the Baltimore and Susquehan-
na Rail Road Company.

GENTLEMEN:

Since the last Annual Report of the Board, a general meeting of the Stockholders was called on the 25th day of May, to consider what steps were then necessary to be adopted for the interest of the company. At that meeting the views of the board were submitted at large to the consideration of the stockholders, who, after a free consultation and interchange of opinion,

Resolved, That it was expedient to proceed forthwith in the construction of the road as far as the division line between Maryland and Pennsylvania. For the information of the Stockholders, a copy of its proceedings, together with the report of the board, is herewith submitted, and a careful consideration of the facts and arguments upon which the resolution was founded to proceed with the work, is respectfully requested from those who were absent upon that occasion-and others, who may now begin to feel an interest in the subject.

NO. 99.

durability. The report of the Engineers will show in detail the comparative merits of the routes and the grounds upon which the opinion of the board is sustained. It is not necessary to state in this report all the facts which exist, in regard to the comparative advantages of the lines indicated by the surveys. It is sufficient to remark in regard to the first-of the Turnpike Road, that in order to render it practicable for the uses of a Rail Road, it will be necessary to break up the present bed, for the purpose of cutting down the elevations and filling the hollows and grading them to such slopes as could be profitably used on a rail road-these cuttings and embankments, from the nature of the country over which the turnpike passes, would form a series of inclined planes, and would require at least forty stationary engines to overcome the same number of elevations between Baltimore and the Susquehanna river. The cost of preparing the intermediate road between the inclined planes, would have been enormously expensive, and when to all these difficulties, you add the cost of purchasing out the proprietors of the present turn, pike route, there could be no hesitation in adopting the opinion of Gen. Swift, in his report of 1828, "that any idea of constructing a railway upon the turnpike, must be abandoned."

The second line along the castern side of the turnpike road, in the direction of Jenkins' Run and the In pursuance of the resolution of the Stockholders, western branches of the Herring Run, was found upon the board proceeded to a careful examination of the more close inspection to involve greater difficulties than various routes, which had been surveyed and reported had been anticipated. To enable the stockholders to to the company by Gen. Swift; and also directed a par-judge between the comparative merits of these routes, ticular survey to be made along the valley of Jones' Falls and Roland's Run to the head of the latter stream. The surveys and plots being returned, the board were placed in full possession of the whole subject, and with all the information necessary to a fair comparison of the various courses which had been designated for the line of the road-these were,

1st. The Turnpike Road from Baltimore to York. 2d. From the first bridge on the York road, along the valley of Jenkins' Run and Herring Run, to the source of the latter in Sater's Ridge, and thence to a point near the ten mile stone on the York Road, and and where the sources of Roland's Run and Deye's Run approach each other.

3d. Along the valley of Jones' Falls to the mouth of Roland's Run, and thence along the margin of that stream to the same point as the second route.

It is to be observed, that all these routes of the first division of the road from Baltimore, unite at the same place; which in any event must become the point of future extension of the road to the main Gunpowder, and thence to the Susquehanna river.-It was therefore only necessary at this time for the board to determine the actual route upon this first division, leaving the precise location of the road from that point for further and more minute examination and future decision.

A comparison of the three routes abovementioned, Jeft no hesitation upon the mind of the Directors, that the one along the margin of Jones' Falls and Roland's Run was in every respect to be preferred over the others, uniting in itself greater facility of construction abundance of stone and other materials-less expense in making it, and when finished, more permanency and VOL. IV.

41

it must be kept in mind that to attain the point of the first division of termination, it is necessary to pass the summit of Sater's Ridge, which is 478 feet above tide; to accomplish this object by a direct line along the turnpike has been shown to be impracticable, the next effort was to effect the same end by following the valleys of streams having their source in that ridge; this it was thought could be done by following the valley of Jenkins' Run to its head, thence to the first western branch of Herring Run to its head, thence to the second and third branches, whose valley reaches to the summit of the ridge. But it was found, that after passing Jenkins' Run, the branches of Herring Run, beforementioned, rise from the slope of Sater's Ridge, and pursue a southeasterly direct on until they unite in the main branch. The ridges of land between these branches were found to present a surface of very considerable elevation, unbroken by any depression along which the road could have passed from one branch to another.To pass these ridges, would have required a succession of deep cuttings exceeding seventy-five feet, or the use of stationary engines of immense power to overcome the various elevations. The whole distance by this route to the end of the first division, at the head of Roland's Run and David's Run, would be fifteen miles and a

half.

The third or last route adopted by the Board, com, mences at the city boundary, on the west side of Jones' Falls, at an elevation of ninety feet above tide, thence along the western margin of that stream, to a point between Beatty's Powder Work and Pedee's Cotton Factory, about seven niles from the city, where it crosses . Jones' Falls; thence along the eastern margin to Ro

land's Run; thence up the valley of that stream to the head of Deye's Run. The whole distance is twelve miles, and the total elevation from the point of departure to be overcome, is two hundred and eighty-nine feet; and as Jones' Falls breaks through Sater's Ridge, this can be accomplished by a hill side excavation on the whole line upon a regular plane of twenty four feet to the mile, without any deep cutting whatever-and where it becomes necessary to blow off the projecting points of rocks, the demand for the stone in building culverts, reduces the expense to a level with common cutting. Upon these routes we encounter no extensive flats where heavy and expensive filling will be required, and the ravines which make into the Falls from the west, are short and precipitous, and consequently require but very narrow bridges or culverts to cross

them.

The cost of the road on this line will be much diminished, from the circumstance of no distant removal of the earth being necessary; from the convenience and durability of the work when completed.

Having determined upon the route of the first division of the road, arrangements were immediately made for the commencement of the work, and the first stone was laid by the Grand Lodge of Masons in Maryland, with the usual ceremonies, on the 8th day of August last, it being the First Hundredth Anniversary of the City of Baltimore. Since that time the work has progressed steadily, and upon a system which experience shows, to be economical and judicious.

Mill, more than two-thirds of the work upon the first two miles and a half has been completed, at a cost which will justify us in placing the average cost of preparing the whole of the first division of twelve miles, including bridges, culverts, and all other structures, (except the viaduct at the large stone quarry, and the bridge across Jones' Falls) to receive the rails, at a sum not exceeding $4500 per mile. Indeed, after passing the first three miles, the facility of the work is so great, and the difficulties to be encountered comparatively so few, that the road will reach the lime stone region at an expense and within a period of time which will surprise all who feel an interest in its success. The whole line of country presents a hill side, broken only by a few projections and indentations, and rising gradually to its summit at an elevation which to the eye, and even to the instrument, is little more than a level-it may indeed be said that in the practical operations of the road, the gentle inclination of it in the direction to tide water, (whence the heavy burdens will be transported,) affords an important advantage over a dead level.

These general observations will enable the Stockholders to understand the views of the board in the selection of the route for the road, the manner of its construction, and the general features of the country over which it is to pass.

The report of the engineer which is herewith returned, estimates the probable cost of making the_road complete, for the first 12 miles, at one hundred and ten thousand dollars; the estimates are founded upon a careful examination of the work itself, and a comparison with the estimates and calculations of experienced engineers in other similar undertakings, and the experience which has been derived from the actual progress of those works.

We refer the stockholders to the reports and estimates heretofore made, of the probable income to be derived from the trade of the road, when completed as far as the

The plan which has been heretofore adopted in all public works of a similar kind, of letting it out by sections to contractors, was believed to be liable to many and serious objections. The intrinsic difficulty of being able to ascertain with any certainty or even an approx:mation to it, the price at which the sections ought to be let out to contractors, caused them in a great majority of cases to be let out at a price either above or below the actual cost at which the work could be done-limestone regions. in most instances where the contracts were completed, A more detailed estimate has since been made, which it afforded large profits to the contractor, and where shows with as much certainty as can be given to any they were taken at a price below the value of the work, calculation, that the revenue upon this first division of the contract was given up or thrown back upon the the road would exceed $25,000 per annum. This concompany, in either case the company must be the loser, clusion is drawn from the present state and condition of and in no event could it be a gainer-for these and other the trade, and upon the quantity of transportation noto reasons which will suggest themselves to the stockhold- brought from that region of country to the city. The ers, the Board determined to prosecute the work by increase of this trade will probably be trebled in a few means of superintendents under the immediate direc- years by the facility of communication afforded by the tion of the Company and its Engineers. By this means Rail Road, particularly in the heavy articles of lime and a uniformity in the construction, and discipline and or- marble, the cost of transporting which would not exceed der amongst the hands can be preserved. The certain-one-sixth of the present charge. The Quincy Rail Road ty of punctual payment to the labourers at the end of the week, gives us a choice of the best and steadiest hands, who work cheerfully and constantly-and the result of the experiment upon the whole has fully justified the propriety of its adoption. So far as we have the means of judging by comparison, and the limited operations on our own road, there will be a saving of not less than twenty per cent. in this mode of doing the work, over the old mode of doing it by contrac

tors.

In regard to the extent of our actual operations, we have to state that from the first stone it has extended to a distance of about three miles, and over a portion of the line which presents greater difficulties than are to be found on the first division, or perhaps on any part, of the road between Baltimore and the Susquehanna River; the stone quarries immediately beyond Stricker's Mill, and those opposite White's Mill, with some intermediate points of projecting rocks, presented ob stacles exceedingly formidable in appearance, but in a very short time they have been nearly reduced to the level of the road, and a large portion of the stone consumed in the erection of piers for bridges, culverts, and parallel walls, to sustain the earth thrown from the hill s des-with the exception of a viaduct or bridge-way in front of the exhausted stone quarry above Stricker's

of nearly equal extent with the first division of the Susquehanna road, was made for the sole purpose of reaching the granite quarries, and has been found to afford a large profit upon the capital laid out in its construction; in addition to the superior value of our marble quarries, we should embrace the whole trade of the factories on Jones' Falls-the whole of the lime trade, and the produce of an extensive and highly cultivated country, beside a large number of passengers.

The resolution of the Stockholders at the general meeting in May last, contemplated the immediate completion of the road to the Maryland line, under the full conviction that before it should reach that point, the Legislature of Pennsylvania would have passed the charter, or a similar work would be undertaken by a company in Pennsylvania, and thus the original object of forming a communication with the Susquehanna would be effected. Nothing has occurred to impeach the correctness of this opinion-on the contrary, since the last session of the Legislature of that State, the cit izens of York county have subscribed the capital of a Company to improve the navigation of the Codorus from York town to the river, which when completed, will leave a space of only eighteen miles between Baltimore and the Susquehanna to form a complete and perfect communication between the two points. Can any one

1829.]

BALTIMORE AND SUSQUEHANNA RAIL ROAD.

323

for a moment believe that such a barrier will continue ber of passengers per annum upon this route-or the to exist at the expense of the interest of a large portion immense increase of it which the facility of communiof the people of that State, and involving a degree of cation will produce. Not only the intermediate counfolly and absurdity, which it would be an insult to attri- try occupied by a large, enterprising and increasing bute to any enlightened people and a just Legislature. population-studded with flourishing villages and towns The ties which bind the Susquehanna country to Balti-that are fast approaching to be cities, will send forth more, are too strong to be broken-local jealousies and their thousands and tens of thousands, but the grand prejudices may for a time prevail over just and sound improvements of Pennsylvania, stretching to the north views of State policy, but their reign will be but short, and the Ohio, will also pour down its active and busy trade will seek and it will find its natural market, people to the cities on the Atlantic border. The interand any plan of improvement or system of legislation course between two such places as Philadelphia and which seeks to divert or attempts to force it out of its | Baltimore is not to be measured by any estimate or fixed natural channel, is not only unwise in itself, unjust to by any rule of calculation, neither is it necessary for the community at large, but will in the end defeat its our purpose to attempt to reduce it to any precise numown object. ber. Let the Stockholder, who will take time to look at the subject which our limits will but permit us to glance at-suppose the travelling from the east, the west and the north to be one, two or three hundred. thousand persons per annum, or any other number within the most limited estimate he may adopt, and then apply the charge for transportation at two or three cents per mile; the conclusion is no less astonishing than it is true, and the mind will naturally hesitate in adopting the result to which the facts and figures inevitably conduct him.

To look forward therefore, to the extension of the road to the Susquehanna river in the course of a short time, is natural and ought to engage the attention of the Stockholders. It is a subject which has constantly occupied the mind of the Board, and whose importance cannot be too much dwelt upon; laying aside their interest as citizens, anxious for the prosperity and increase of the trade of the city, and viewing it as mere stockholders who look alone to their individual interest and the revenue to be derived from the investment of capital, it presents the fairest prospect of certain and abun dant returns of dividends upon the capital expended.

We have, heretofore, pointed out the nature and extent of the ascending and descending trade, which must find its way to and from the seaboard upon this road, and we refer the Stockholders to our former reports upon that head. But little has yet been said upon the profits to result to the Stockholders from the transportation of passengers alone, an item perhaps of equal if not greater importance than the transportation of pro

duce and merchandise.

A brief examination will show that it must become the great line of communication not only from north to south, but from the east to the west, and in the end supersede all other modes of communication.

From Baltimore to York by the Rail Road will be about sixty miles, from thence to the Susquehanna river at York Haven, in a northerly direction, is ten miles, and from York to Columbia is the same distance: from Columbia to Philadelphia, is eighty miles, over which a Rail Road is now constructing by the State of Pennsylvania, and is to be extended to the borough of York. The whole distance by the Rail Road from Baltimore to Philadelphia will be but one hundred and fifty miles, and if it be conceded that passengers will prefer that mode of travelling which is safest and cheapest, and equally expeditious with any other that can be, or has been devised, it is manifest they will prefer the Rail Road route to any other, Supposing the highest rate of charge allowed by the charter, to be adopted, the cost of travelling 150 miles, at three cents per mile, would be $4.50-but it would be fairer to put it down at two cents per mile, which would make the cost of a trip three dollars. The journey can be performed in safety, in a day and part of the night, in carriages affording every convenience or luxury that necessity or refinement could desire, affording at the same time the additional gratification of passing through one of the finest and most highly cultivated regions of country in the U. States, To these inducements for a preference of this route, may be added other attractions, which though of minor importance, will still have influence in the choice. Carriages of all sizes, and fitted up in every variety of style, to start at any hour, travel at any speed, and stop at any point to suit the convenience or pleasure of the traveller, will be at the command of all who desire them. All these considerations combined, surely present advantages, which, so long as men consult their interest, their comfort, and their safety, will insure in this mode of transportation a preference over all others that human ingenuity has ever yet devised.

We shall not attempt to estimate the amount or num

It is proper to state that since the last general meeting of the Stockholders, at which it was resolved to commence the work, the board availed itself of the occasion of a meeting of the City Council to tender to them the stock allotted by the Charter for the Corporation-the joint committee of both branches reported, "that in consequence of the present being an extra ses sion, and the subject before them one of such high in-terest to the City, and requiring a greater length of time than the session would allow, and being desirous of giving it that deliberation which it requires," it was. resolved that the subject be referred to the next annual session. The opinion of the City Council as expressed in their proceedings will no doubt insure a due consideration of the subject at the regular period for the meeting of that body. The intelligence and impartiality of the City Council may be relied upon with safety and confidence. If the views of the board be correct, it will be found that the work in question is one not only of general interest to the community at large--but that each portion of it will derive a particular advantage from its operations. Approaching the City boundary on the north, and at an elevation of ninety feet above tide, it can with perfect facility be carried to any part of the City. To the west end of the City it can be con-, ducted to the highest point at the public property, formerly the old Alms House. To the centre of the City, it can be carried down the valley of Jones' Falls, at the junction of Madison street, and from thence on the eastern side of the Falls along the avenue laid out upon the City plot, down to the City block-from the same point (the junction of Madison street and the Falls) it can be carried along in a line with Madison street, or lower down towards the junction of Hillen and North streets, and from thence to the valley of Harford Run, and thence down that Run either upon its margin, or by a structure thrown over the stream, to its termination at the public property. So in like manner may a branch of the road be constructed from the point of in-tersection with the Hartford Run, to the eastern part of the City by a line drawn from the point of intersection, and pursuing the eastern branch of Harford Run and the valley at the head of it to the ravine of Harris' Creek, and thence on the western margin of that water to the basin.

All these routes are entirely practicable, and at a moderate expense, arising from the circumstance of the great elevation of the road above tide-there will be no deep cutting, tunnelling or filling, and but a single bridge to be thrown across Jones' Falls, to accomplish, the desirable object of terminating the Road at the most convenient and important points of the City.

The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is something more than 13 miles long; 36 feet wide on bottom and 60 feet at surface; is calculated for the passage of vessels drawing 8 feet water, the banks are however constructed to retain 10 feet of water; thus giving an extra which can be held up if required, and form, in connection with the summit level of the canal, a reservoir cov. ering an area of over six hundred acres.

The other reservoirs formed by the ponds on the St. George's Creek, are owned by the company; the water which can be furnished by reservoirs, is calculated in the aggregate to be abundant for the passage of three thousand vessels, allowing each vessel to use two locks full of water; but it is supposed one third that number will be let down to the lower levels by the same water previously used in raising other vessels to the summit.

Admitting this calculation to be correct, the supply of water independently of assistance from summer showers or from St. George's and Broad Creek feeders, will pass twenty vessels per day for two hundred days.

The canal has two Tide and two Lift Locks, each 22 feet wide and 100 feet between the gates;-the summit level is 94 miles long, and 10 feet above ordinary flood

For convenience in executing the work, the canal was originally divided into 7 sections, and numbered from the Delaware harbour, westerly to the Chesapeake Tide lock, as follows:

1829.]

CHESAPEAKE & DELAWARE CANAL.

The first half mile west of the Lock, the towpath is made very wide to where a connection is formed with a point of upland; from this point westerly, the bank is only the usual width of 12 feet, the water flowing on both sides of the towpath covers the ground formerly occupied by the old mill pond, and forms a spacious reservoir both to the right and left, the water having a communication through the bank, is kept at the same level on both sides; all danger of failure in consequence of pressure upon the bank is thus obviated.

325

originally cultivated fields and open woodland, the latter (being about 14, of this distance,) was too wet and the soil too heavy for profitable cultivation.

The average depth for this mile, is 65 feet; to the depth of 20 feet from the surface, the earth is a yellow sand with occasional crusts of iron stone, in other places stiff yellow clay.

Below this depth, the earth is with few exceptions, of a very dark colour, resembling marl, more tenacious than sand, and less so than clay.

Fossil remains of both the vegetable and animal kingdoms, abound in the lower strata, and are found from the greatest depths excavated, up to near 60 feet above, high tide. Wood, lumber, large bones, teeth, and shell fish of several kinds, are among the curiosities discover

The bottom of the old pond being in most places below the required depth of the canal, very little excavation was necessary except in crossing some points of upland, in which case the earth was used to form the towpath; other parts of the bank are made with earth bro't by the boats from the "Deep Cut," a still greater por-ed at various depths. tion by carting from the most convenient point of upland.

The bank sunk in several places from 3 to 10 feet; but the difficulties of this section from settling are of little comparative moment.

Marine shells were found in abundance in the earth removed from points from 8 to 15 feet above the tide: among which were the shells of oysters, at least six times the size of the degenerate race of the present day.

Section No. 5, or the 'Deep Cut.' The earth excavated to form the canal and drains on this section, amounts to near ninety millions of cubic feet!!

The earth excavated was originally removed from the slope of the canal 45 feet on the south, and 35 on the north side of the canal.

The space between the top slope of the canal and the foot of the spoil bank is raised next the canal, so as to throw the rain water from the slope of the canal into drains, in front of the spoil banks, by which it is conducted east and west from the summit to the reservoir, leaving the face of the main subject to wash only by the rain falling immediately on it.

The greatest depth excavated is over 76 feet, it is one fourth of a mile west of the bridge, and noted for the vast quantity of earth which slipped from the north side, and was removed from the canal, leaving a chasm which goes by the name of the "Big Slip."

This place is secured by four parallel rows of piles,' closely driven at the foot of the slope, to the depth of 18 feet below the bottom of the canal. The piles are connected by timbers, on which a slope wall 5 feet in thickness is built, slightly curving towards the centre of the slip; back of the wall is a frame work of timber, morticed to the bed sills on which the wall is built, these bed sills being continued 20 feet into the bank for that pur pose, the whole connected with longitudinal timbers, so that the piles, timber, and stone work, must move en masse before the bank can give way.

The most efficient protection is, however, derived from French drains made of stone and timber, surrounded with marsh hay; the drains run in various directions under ground, up the bank, intersecting the springs,and affording a ready outlet for the water, the want of which outlet, was the original cause of the slip.

The section begins with eight feet depth of cutting Piles 18 feet long are driven half way up the slope at the first mile occupying the former valley of a small the foot of the sound bank, these were necessary to enastream, called Raccoon creek, extends to the perma.ble the workmen to approach, and drain to the source nent or summit bridge; the creek formerly received a of the spring; even with their aid, it was no easy task; constant supply of water from a great number of springs, the lower part of the bank which is now hard and firm, occurring at such short intervals, as to form, notwith- was then so completely saturated with water, that the standing the ascent, a continued swamp to within a quar-workmen frequently were up to their knees in mud. ter of a mile of the bridge, and prior to 1824 was covered with timber and underwood, so completely matted with sweet-brier and other vines, as to have formed, from the first settlement of the country, a safe retreat for the fox, and a fruitful source of vexation to the sports

man.

The canal and side-drains, together with the immense spoil-banks formed by the earth excavated, now completely fill the space, and form hills in the former valley. The creek and morass have disappeared, and are now observed only in the occasional trickling of water from the sides of the canal, in the place of which the Summit Bridge at present engrosses public attention. It is built on a hard, firm bank, where the original surface attains an elevation of 65 feet, above which the abutments are built 20 feet in thickness; the sides of the canal below the abutments are protected by a slope-wall laid from the bottom of the canal to the top of the bank, from six to two feet in thickness.

The floor of the bridge is 90 feet above the bottom of the canal, extreme length 280 feet.

Independently of the interest excited by the bridge, the view of the canal from its commanding height is grand beyond description. A flight of steps has been erected, to facilitate the ascent from the towpath up the bank.

Directly south of the bridge is the Buck Tavern, kept by Mr. Clement, whose dinners are very necessary to complete the enjoyment of the scenery.

The canal for one mile west of the summit bridge, is in every respect calculated to interest the admirers either of nature or art; the ground which it occupies, was

The importance of removing the pressure of a column' of water, when pent up by tenacious earth to the height of 40 feet will be duly appreciated without the reflection of a philosopher; but for the sake of familiar illustration of the utility of the drains, let us for a moment substitute in their place, a slope wall five feet in thickness, extending to the same height up the bank.

The wall would evidently afford a protection, proportioned to the excess of its weight above that of the earth composing the bank.

Now the drains being near 10 feet under ground, reclaim that much of the moving mass which the wall would have to support, and the earth to this depth being rendered firm and compact, acts as effectively by gravity to support the bank as 5 feet thickness of wall; having any advantage to be derived from the removal of hydraulic pressure in favour of the former, even if the expense of the latter did not forget its adoption.

West of the "Big Slip" several others of less magnitude have occurred, and are secured in like manner, but in most cases the French drains have been found to afford sufficient protection, unassisted except by the slope wall made to the usual height, with one row of piles at the foot of the slope.

The termination of the "Deep Cut" is near the head of Turner's mill pond, the last 13 mile on the western parts, is located on the low ground formerly occupied by the main branch of Broad creek, the ground being too wet for cultivation, was principally covered with wood.

The strata of earth exposed in excavating, differ in many important particulars from those of the centre or castern division.