| Annual Report of the Macon & Brunswick RR |
| as of January 1, 1864, |
| Chief Engineer's Report |
| |
| Engineer Department |
| February 3d, 1864 |
| |
| To the President and Directors: |
| Gentlemen, |
|
I respectfully submit to your consideration the following
report of the operations under my charge:
|
|
The work of graduation has been steadily pursued during
the past year, the number of hands engaged remaining about the same as
at the date of the last Annual Report. The gentlemen at present
contracting on the Road are Messrs. Nightingale, Morris, Hager, Blue,
Hazlehurst and Foreman, who work an aggregate force of four hundred
full hands. Eighteen miles from the present terminus of the track at
Dykes' Mill, south, may be considered completed, there remaining but a
small amount of work to be done. Four miles on the contract of L. W.
Hazlehurst, from the 21st to the 25th sections, are also finished. By
including the Branch to Hawkinsville, nine miles, we have thus a
distance of thirty-one miles on the Northern Division, and forty-nine
miles on the Southern -- giving a total of eighty miles now ready for
the superstructure. With this start, the grading could be kept in
advance of the track whenever the laying could be resumed, but the
policy of continuing the grading being manifest, every encouragement
will be offered not only to the forces now engaged on the Road but to
any others who may desire work. Forty-five miles immediately North of
the Main Trunk Road is of a character so extremely light, the track
being laid on the surface of the country, that it is considered best
to defer all work on the same until such time as the heavier grading
may be completed.
|
| Location |
|
Since the last Report the track has been completed to
Dykes' Mill, a distance of thirty-eight miles from Macon. A
Turn-table, Sidelings and a good Warehouse have been finished, thus
affording every convenience for business. The last bar of iron being
down, we can hope to make no further progress until after the war. A
track of three-fourths of a mile in length, laid with wooden
stripping, has been extended beyond Dykes' to another Saw mill of
Messrs. Dykes and DeLettre. It is not proposed, however, to use an
engine on this track, but simply the cars, the object of the extension
being to afford additional convenience to the Government in procuring
lumber from the lower mill. The condition of the entire track from
Macon down, is, at this time, in good running order we have met with
our usual disaster by the overflow through the Ocmulgee Swamp, but the
damage, either by detention of trains or in amount of track carried
way, has not been as severe as formerly. Over that portion of the work
which was considered last year as finished no damage was received. We
may therefore rest assured that by raising the embankment similarly,
say two and a half feet above the highest water mark -- a work of no
extraordinary magnitude, that we can make the Swamp as secure as any
other portion of the track, and thus remove this great drawback to the
character and prosperity of the Road. To complete the job in the style
and manner in which it ought to be done, may require the employment of
the Gravel train with its present force of hands during this whole
year, but we should not stop short of making it as thorough and
complete as possible.
|
|
Location
|
|
The line of the Road has been finally decided. Leaving
the ridge between Sugar and Turnpike creeks, to which point the
location had been made at the date of the last report, the line
descends with light work into the valley of Turnpike, down which it
continues for ten miles, to Alexander McDuffie's, whence it strikes
across the ridge to the head of Fishing Creek, which it follows to the
flats of the Ocmulgee River. The selection of the proper point for
bridging the river involved much examination. The river at Buckett's
ferry, with a bold bluff on one side and a high swamp free from deep
bayous on the other, and with good hard bottom in the bed or the
river, offered superior advantages to any other point within reach.
This crossing was therefore adopted, though it involved a deviation in
the line and a sacrifice in distance of probably half a mile. From the
river the line follows the second bottom two miles, to Murdock
McCrea's, at which point commences the ascent to the high table lands
of the Satilla. A continuous grade line of six miles, involving not
very heavy work, is obtained by following up the Simmons branch to its
head, and striking across the hollows of Fryer branch to Dial's on the
ridge. To Station No. 7, on the Main Trunk, from Dial's, forty-four
and a half miles, the line strikes an unbrokenm air-line, over the
flat pine country of Appling county. The grading over this, as before
remarked, will be extremely light, the only obstructions being the
flat and sluggish creeks, tributaries of the Satilla.
|
|
The line, as located, shows a remarkable profile, light
curves and easy grades; the material for the road-bed cannot be
surpassed, timber unculled of superior quality, the Road can be
cheaply built and cheaply run; when built we can defy competition, and
soon be satisfied with the results of the enterprise.
|
|
The following Table No. 1, shows the amount of cost of
Road up to date, what was paid at last report, and what has been paid
this year. Table No. 2, names of contractors, with amount of work done
and to be done.
|
|
All of which is respectfully submitted.
|
|
Geo. H. Hazlehurst
|
|
Chief Engineer
|
|
|
|
Table No. 1
|
| |
Now Paid For |
Paid Last Report |
Paid This Year |
| Grading Northern Division |
233,699.78 |
192,348.14 |
41,351.64 |
| Grading Southern Division |
48,568.39 |
48,568.39 |
|
| Bridge Masonry |
6,490.00 |
6,490.00 |
|
| Superstructure |
72,939.33 |
53,665.37 |
19,273.96 |
| Bridging and Trestling |
42,764.72 |
42,764.72 |
5,000.00 |
| Water Stations |
1,000.00 |
260.00 |
740.00 |
| Engineer Department |
28,780.47 |
21,782.82 |
6,997.65 |
| Rolling Stock |
16,709.83 |
15,590.85 |
1,118.98 |
| Iron rails, chairs and spikes |
136,952.51 |
136,952.50 |
|
| Maintenance of Way |
32,868.96 |
14,425.50 |
18,443.46 |
| Buildings |
9,619.35 |
|
9,619.35 |
|
|
|
|
Table No. 2
|
| Contractors |
| Names |
Sections |
Done |
To Be Done |
| P. M. Nightingale |
No. 1 to No. 7 |
|
|
| T. P. Huger |
8, 9 and 10 |
|
|
| R. L. Morris |
11 and 12 |
|
|
| A. Blue |
13 to 22 |
|
|
| L. W. Hazlehurst |
23 to 29 |
|
|
| S. R. Sproles |
30 |
|
|
| |
Upon 30 miles |
|
|
| |
Done previously |
|
|
|
Amount of work done during the year |
240,335 cubic yards
|
|
|