| Annual Report of the Macon & Brunswick RR |
| as of January 1, 1863, |
| Chief Engineer's Report |
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| Engineer Department |
| February 2, 1863 |
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| President and Board of Directors: |
| Gentlemen, |
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Despite the depressing influence on almost all branches
of business, by another year of revolution, it is my pleasing duty to
report, the successful prosecution of our work. Though discouraged in
the commencement, we soon perceived from the unfailing success of the
Southern arms, that we had no cause for alarm, but could pursue our
accustomed course of industry with more than ordinary success. In
fact, the abundance of labor, caused by the enemy's incursion on the
coast and the high value of Rail Road securities, have given
additional impetus to all works of internal improvement.
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| Track |
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Soon after the last annual meeting of the Stockholders,
an interruption to the road was caused by another overflow of the
Ocmulgee River. The track was washed from the Embankment, as on
previous occasions, for a distance of five miles. It was not until the
end of Spring that it could be replaced and the trains resume their
accustomed trips. As soon as this was accomplished, measures were
immediately taken to put on a force to raise the embankment above
high-water mark, from the river bridge northward to the highland, a
distance of three miles. This work was handsomely finished by
Christmas, but from inability to pursue the work during the wet
season, the force was disbanded. The other three miles south of the
bridge we left untouched, and is still exposed to similar freshets. It
will be our aim to put on a force on this during the coming summer.
Ballast, to the depth of one and a half feet should afterwards be
added by the gravel train.
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A contract was made by P. M. Nightingale, Esq., for
completion of track laying, trestling, &c., from McCrief's road,
the terminus of the track, to Dyke's Mill. He has completed this work
two miles to the Longstreet road, where a good station house has been
built and a turntable put in. The track laying will be continued on
immediately to the mill, four miles further, which must be our
terminus until after the war. The cross-ties are already distributed
and the trestling built, so that if we can escape any more
interruptions from the high water of the Ocmulgee, we may hope to
reach our terminus by May. The execution of the work performed by Mr.
Nightingale, both in track laying and tresting, contrasts most
favorably with previous work on the road.
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Graduation
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The grading of the road to Hawkinsville is completed.
Messrs. Merritt and Tooke have, with our consent, discontinued all
work on the wood work of the bridge at Hawkinsville, but have raised
the rock pier in the centre of the river above low water mark. The
bridge can be finished before we can reach that point with the track.
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The location of the extension of the road from Dyke's
mill, south, under the contract made by the board with Messrs.
Nightingale & Huger, was commenced about the first of May and
closed in October. The party was placed under charge of L. W. Dubois,
an engineer of attainments, and the work has been well executed. The
location of thirty-two miles was definitely made and the survey for
twenty-five more was extended across the Ocmulgee river. Mr. Dubois
being required to superintend the work of graduation, I have engaged
Mr. Wm. Stockton to continue the location, and he has now a party in
the field engaged on this work.
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The face of the country was found much rougher than we
anticipated from the profiles of Mr. McNeil, former Chief Engineer,
and from the bold lines of location shown on his maps. The profiles of
Mr. McNeil were made from an irregular survey or traverse line, only
one of which he had run, and did not convey a true idea of the
topography of the country. We attempted to locate the line as
projected by him, but found it impracticable with our low grades,
unless with unwarrantable heavy work, and it was therefore abandoned.
The line as located adheres closely to the main dividing ridge between
the Ocmulgee river and Gum Swamp, for a distance of twenty-five miles,
passing by Stoke's, Pittman's, near to Levi Harold and Evans' to
Hamilton's Ford on Sugar Creek, crossing the creek about a mile below
this ford and mounting the dividing ridge, between Sugar and Turnpike
creeks, continuing on the same to within a few miles of the Ocmulgee
river. The crossing of the river has not yet been definitely fixed,
but it swill be a little above the old place known as Lumber City.
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The surface of this main ridge presents a most favorable
profile, the grading is extremely light, but whilst its general
direction is good, its crest like that of most ridges is tortuous. We
are, however, enabled to follow it with a slight curvature of a mile
in radius, which relieves very much this objection. It is probable
that we shall encounter somewhat heavier work in approaching and
leaving the river, but when once the high plateau from which spring
the head waters of the Satilla is attained, the work will again be of
a light character, and the line a direct one to the intersection with
the Savannah and main trunk road. The question as to this intersection
is a most important one to the Company.
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I shall present to the Board so soon as possible the
results of a careful survey to the point proposed, and with this
information it will be in your power (in connection with other
considerations) to arrive at the proper decision in regard to the
intersection.
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The following tables will show the amount of work and
expenditures in this department up to date and for the past year.
Also, a table in detail, giving quantity of work done and to be done
by the new contractors on the extension.
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The average number of cubic yards of the 30 miles under
way, is some 16,000 yards per mile, which at the contract prices for
the earth work, clearing and contingencies, would give a cost of about
$3,500 per mile as an average.
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| |
Now Paid For |
Paid Last Report |
Paid This Year |
| Grading Northern Division |
192,348.14 |
140,941.23 |
51,406.91 |
| Grading Southern Division |
48,568.39 |
48,568.39 |
|
| Bridge Masonry |
6,490.00 |
6,490.00 |
|
| Superstructure, 26 miles of iron |
53,665.37 |
53,665.37 |
|
| Bridging and Trestling |
42,764.72 |
26,200.00 |
16,564.72 |
| Water Stations |
260.00 |
260.00 |
|
| Engineer Department |
21,782.82 |
16,576.00 |
5,206.82 |
| Rolling Stock |
15,590.85 |
12,580.00 |
3,010.85 |
| Iron rails, chairs and spikes |
139,907.14 |
136,220.55 |
3,686.59 |
| Maintenance of Way |
14,425.50 |
8,232.47 |
6,193.03 |
|
Total |
535,802.93 |
449,734.01 |
86,068.92 |
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| Contractors |
| Names |
Sections |
Done |
To Be Done |
| P. M. Nightingale |
1 to 7 inclusive |
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| T. P. Huger |
8, 9, 10 |
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| C. Morris |
11, 12 |
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| A. Blue |
13 to 22 inc. |
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| L. W. Hazlehurst |
23 to 30 inc. |
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Respectfully submitted,
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Geo. H. Hazlehurst
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Chief Engineer
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