| Annual Report of the Virginia Central RR |
| as of October 1, 1861, |
| Engineer's Report |
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| Engineer's Report |
| Engineer's Office Virginia Central Railroad |
| Staunton, October 1st, 1861 |
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E. Fontaine, Esq., President
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| Sir, |
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The following report of the Principal Assistant Engineer
is respectfully submitted as a statement of the condition of the work
between Jackson's river and Covington.
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It will be seen that with the exception of some
ballasting, and a small amount of embankment, the road bed is finished
and ready for the track.
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The iron work for the bridge over Jackson's river is in
progress at the Tredegar works in Richmond, and is expected to be
finished as soon as the rails for the track can be transported from
Richmond to Jackson's river.
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The amount of other transportation required at this time
renders it difficult to say when the rails can be carried; every
available car will be used for the purpose, and I hope to commence
laying the track by the 1st of January next. The completion of this
last section of your road is much to be desired, and especially so at
this time, as it would materially reduce the expense of transporting
supplies to the western army.
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To the estimate of the amount required to finish the
grading and the station buildings at Covington, as stated by Mr.
Richardson, should be added the estimate for the iron bridge, and the
cost of laying the track as follows:
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| Amount estimated to complete the grading,
&c. |
$8,508.00 |
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"
" for station
buildings, &c. |
7,000.00 |
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"
" for iron bridge |
13,000.00 |
| Laying 10 miles of track |
4,500.00 |
| Chairs, spikes, &c. |
5,200.00 |
| Total estimated cost |
$38,208.00 |
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For further particulars, I refer to the report which
follows.
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Very Respectfully,
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Your obedient servant
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H. D. Whitcomb
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Chief Engineer
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Staunton, Va., October 1st, 1861
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H. D. Whitcomb, Esq.
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Chief Engineer and General Superintendent
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Sir,
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I here report to you the condition of that portion of the
Central Railroad yet under construction, viz: Jackson's river depot to
Covington. Two extraordinary causes have operated during the past
season to prevent the completion of this work at the time you
anticipated in your report in October, 1860. The war has with drawn
some of the force engaged on the work, and it is but a natural
consequence, in such times as these, that many obstacles would
intervene to prevent the completion of the road with the facility that
ordinary times would allow. The other cause is the unusual amount of
rain, which, in many cases, came with violence, and the high water had
a serious effect on the newly made embankments, and in some instances
the cuttings suffered from the severe washings. Heavy slides have
occurred, and are yet liable to occur. The masonry is uninjured, and
will evidently remain so. Karnes' creek viaduct withstood a violent
flood, which came upon it in such a manner as to test it severely. An
arrangement is now being made to carry the water through the arch in a
proper direction. The abutments and piers at Jackson's river, on
Section 65, were well tested by a flood nearly as high as any ever
known there. The masonry for the bridge over the James river canal is
done, and at present is buried in the embankment. It is probable that
this portion of the railroad, comprising the sections between
Jackson's river depot and Covington, will have a much smaller
percentage of perishable work on it than any other portion of the road
of an equal amount of work.
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The work now remaining to be done is approximately as
follows:
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| Sec. 59. 1,000 yards earth to repair
bank at Alum Rock, at 18 cents |
$1,800.00 |
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| Hauling do., at 7 1/2 cents (500
feet) |
750.00 |
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| 400 yards of ballast at $1 |
400.00 |
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| 1,000 yards of Rip Rap at $1.50 |
1,500.00 |
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| Amount on Section 59 |
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$4,450.00 |
| Sec. 60. Fixing Karnes' Run at
viaduct |
500.00 |
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| 2,000 yards earth, borrowed at 20
cents |
400.00 |
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| 500 yards ballast at $1 |
500.00 |
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| Amount on Section 60 |
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1,400.00 |
| Sec. 61. 1,200 yards earth, borrowed
at 20 cents |
240.00 |
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| 100 do. Rip Rap at 60 cents |
60.00 |
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| 400 do. ballast $1 |
400.00 |
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| Amount on Section 61 |
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700.00 |
| Sec. 62 complete. Final estimate not
returned |
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| Sec. 63. 5,000 yards of a slide at
20 cents |
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1,000.00 |
| Sec. 64. 600 yards of a slide at 18
cents |
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108.00 |
| Sec. 65. Complete |
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| Sec. 66. Complete |
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| Sec. 67. 200 yards of ballast at $1 |
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200.00 |
| Covington Depot Section, C. & O.
Railroad, 1,000 yards slate at 65 cents |
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650.00 |
| Amount of grading,
&c. |
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$8,508.00 |
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You will observe that more than half of the work to be
done is on Section 59. In September last a very large freshet made a
serious inroad upon the embankment along the new channel of the river.
The road bed is yet undisturbed, and the ballast in the adjacent cut
is only needed to make this section ready for the track. It may yet be
expedient to lay the track, and carry the materials for the repair of
the embankment by a train.
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It may not be inappropriate here to record that Mr. Isaac
Steers, the well known and highly respected contractor, after having
nearly completed this important piece of work at Alum Rock, lost his
life in the river about three months since during one of the floods.
It is but justice to his memory to say, that for some years past he
has by his energy, skill and industry, been a valuable man to the
Company in building this road.
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Of the buildings at Covington Station I cannot speak
definitely. Sites have been prepared for freight, passenger, road and
water stations, engine house, and turntable of 45 feet diameter.
Lumber is now being delivered for a wooden freight house, 134 by 28
feet, and a wood house 60 by 20 feet. To build the above mentioned
stations economically of wood, would probably cost $7,000. Sufficient
cross ties are ready to lay the track, and two train loads of iron are
delivered. Aside from such cases of delay as I mentioned in the
beginning of this report, the track could be laid to Covington in
three months.
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I assumed the charge of this work in July last. I am able
to say, that the contractors have evinced a disposition to finish the
road to the satisfaction of the Company.
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Soon after my taking the work, Mr. A. H. Sheppard, of the
engineer corps, was called to another portion of the road; the other
members of the corps, Messrs. Jno. F. Jordan, A. S. Kinney, Wm. M. S.
Dunn, and Wm. E. Sparrow, are at present engaged in making final
estimates, and finishing up all business connected with their
departments. Their work is faithfully done.
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All of which is respectfully submitted.
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S. A. Richardson
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Principal Assistant Engineer
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