| From the Daily South Carolinian
(Columbia, S. C.) |
| |
| May 1, 1864 |
| |
| Columbia & Hamburg Railroad |
| Engineer's Office, C. & H. R. R. |
| Columbia, April 28, 1864 |
| |
| To the President and Directors |
| |
| Gentlemen, |
| I beg leave to submit the
following report of the operations of the Engineer Department on the
Columbia & Hamburg Railroad. In September last, I organized a
party of engineers, under the charge of Mr. Fleming Gardner, to make
the preliminary surveys and location of the line of road. The party
has been actively engaged since that time up to the past week, when
the location was completed. The country has been thoroughly explored,
and more than 500 miles of line surveyed, before a definite location
was decided on. This we found necessary, owing to the broken and
rugged character of the country through which it was proposed to build
the road. |
| With a full appreciation of
the importance of a direct line, our first efforts were to find a
route as near an airline as possible; but on examination of the
country, and the result of surveys made, soon convinced us of the
impracticability of what was called the direct lined, except at
immense cost. The distance from Columbia to Augusta in an air line is
sixty-seven miles -- the Stage Road, (as it is called,) round by the
ridge, being about seventy-five miles. |
| After full and elaborate
surveys of the country South of the ridge, or dividing line between
the waters of the Saluda on the North and Congaree on the South, we
were fully convinced that it would be the best policy for us to decide
on a location on the ridge -- expecting by this to obtain a line that
would have but little heavy work on it, and would be but about seven
miles longer than an air line. The result, though, of subsequent
surveys, proved the fact that if we followed round the ridge it would
be impossible to make the descent to the town of Hamburg. The descent
of over 450 feet having to be made in a distance of about six miles,
would require grades of seventy feet per mile, which it would not be
advisable to adopt. Our efforts were then directed to find a route by
which we could get from Hamburg up to the ridge, where the ascent
could be made with lighter grades. The only practical routes being up
the valley of either Big or Little Horse Creek, the result of the
surveys were such as to cause us to decide on the line up Big Horse
Creek as the most advisable, and the location has been accordingly
made up that stream -- making the entire line from Hamburg to Columbia
a little less than eighty miles. Starting in the town of Hamburg, from
a point on the Savannah River, about a half mile below the present
railroad bridge, the line crosses the track of the South Carolina
Railroad, about two and a half miles from Hamburg, and thence running
nearly parallel with that road for several miles, crosses Little Horse
Creek, and following up the North side of Big Horse Creek, a little
North of the Bath Paper Mills, and near Graniteville, crosses to the
South or East side of the creek; thence passing through the streets of
Graniteville and near Vaucluse, Hall & Miles' Mills, the line
ascends to the ridge at Kinkey's, just in rear of the Pine House -- a
distance of twenty-three miles from Hamburg; and where the line is
within six miles of the town of Edgefield. The elevation of the ridge
at this point being 650 feet above tide water, and 500 feet above the
level of the starting point in the town of Hamburg, grades not
exceeding forty-two feet per mile being necessary to make the ascent
to the ridge. From Graniteville to the Pine House, a distance of
thirteen miles, the work of graduation will be very heavy -- Horse
Creek having to be crossed several times. From the Pine House the line
follows very much the course of the public road, crossing Shaw's
Creek, near Hatcher's Mill, at an elevation of forty-five feet, thence
by Lott's P. O., C. Ward's, Spann's Church, Major Watson's, Dr.
Youngblood's, Capt. Bates', on to Hendrix's, at which place it
diverges South of the main Columbia Road, and passing across Gilbert
Hollow, near the head of Little Juniper, it follows nearly the course
of what is called the Two Notch Road, next the Round Hill Church, and
within three-quarters of a mile of Lexington C. H., on to Sharp's.
Most of the work from the point of ascending the ridge near the Pine
House will be light, with the exception of the crossing of Shaw's
Creek and the Gilbert Hollow. At this latter place an embankment of
forty feet will be necessary for several hundred feet. From Sharp's,
the line takes very much the course of the public road, crossing Six
Mile Branch at an elevation of forty-five feet, and crossing the
Congaree River about one mile below the present bridge at an elevation
of fifty-eight feet, and where it is 900 feet wide, passes just in the
rear of the new shops of the South Carolina Railroad on to the depot
used by the South Carolina and Greenville Railroads. |
| The location of the road as I
have stated, has been made after very careful and thorough surveys;
and though there are still many places were slight changes and
revisions can and will be made to advantage, I am satisfied that the
general line is the best that can be secured. Much of the work is
quite heavy, owing to the broken country and deep depressions in the
valley country South of the ridge. The length of the line is several
miles greater than was anticipated, but I see no way of making any
material saving in distance. By throwing the line one mile South of
its present location at Lexington C. H., a saving of one-third of a
mile of distance can be effected; also about 75,000 cubic yards in the
graduation. The line can also be shortened four and a half miles by
turning off near Hall's Mill on Horse Creek, and crossing Shaw's Creek
at Seigler's Mill and Edisto River at the new bridge; thence by
Perry's on to the present line at Capt. Bates'. The distance saved by
this would be material, but it would increase the construction of
about seventeen miles of very heavy work, at a cost very much greater
than the cost of the present line. Were the war over and materials and
labor cheap and abundant, it would perhaps be advisable to adopt this,
but in the present condition of things, it could only be done at a
cost of perhaps $500,000 over that of the other line. One important
argument in favor of the present location is the practicability of
uniting temporarily with the South Carolina Railroad at Graniteville,
and thereby save ten miles of distance. If the road is constructed
during the war, whilst iron is so difficult to be procured, this will
be a very important item. The location is such that a connection can
readily be made at that point, and the completion to Augusta made at
any future day. The business, too, that will come to the road from the
Graniteville and Vaucluse Manufacturing Companies will be no
inconsiderable item in the estimated business of the road. Every
effort has been made in the location of the road to avoid short curves
and high grades. Still, the character of the country has rendered
absolutely necessary the use of grades of forty feet per mile, and in
one or two instances of grades of 50 feet. On a road that is expected
to do mostly a passenger business, these grades will not prove
objectionable, especially as the grades descend each way from the
ridge -- the consequence of which will be that maximum loads will
never be necessary on the up grades. The curvature is generally light;
curves of large radii being used in most instances. |
| In considering the arguments
in favor of the ridge line, we took into consideration not only the
business that would be obtained by the road through the rich section
of country along the ridge, but another matter, that may eventually be
an important one -- a road from Aiken to Ninety-Six has long been in
contemplation. The location of this road on the ridge will obviate the
necessity of the construction of more than one-half of this proposed
line, as at its point of intersection, the business and trade of the
rich valley of Saluda will have all the facilities desired, by a
direct connection both with Columbia and Augusta, the termini of this
road, and would have no inducements to continue their line to Aiken,
involving as it would, the construction of fifteen to twenty miles of
very expensive road, without gaining anything material by so doing. A
connection with the town of Edgefield can also be made by a short road
of but six miles, the construction of which would no doubt be made by
the citizens of that place. As regards the crossing of Savannah River
into the city of Augusta, I would merely say that the present location
is such it will admit of the line being carried in any direction that
may hereafter be found most advisable, immediate action on that point
not being deemed necessary. |
| One of the most difficult
things devolving on your Engineer is to give you anything like an
accurate estimate of the cost of construction, owing to the deranged
and uncertain condition of our currency. With everything so uncertain,
and liable to sudden and great changes, it is impossible to estimate
accurately the cost of labor, materials, or, in fact, of anything
connected with the construction of a work of this kind. I have,
however, made an estimate as accurately as it is possible of the
quantities of the different kinds of work required, with a statement
of what amount of labor will be necessary to do it. This will give the
best idea of what is to be done, and of the possibility of our getting
it done: |
| Estimate |
| Excavation |
1,125,000 |
cubic |
yards |
| Embankment |
1,630,000 |
" |
" |
| Total |
2,755,000 |
" |
" |
| Or about 35,000 yards per mile |
|
| Bridging |
2,000 |
lineal |
feet |
| Masonry for bridges and culverts |
8,000 |
yards |
|
| Superstructure, say |
200,000 |
cross ties |
|
|
| Estimating work to be done
according to the usual amount of labor performed by one hand, or any
given number, it would require a force of 1,000 hands 200 days to
complete the graduation of the road. The bridging could be constructed
in the same time by a force of 100 hands, and the superstructure got
out and laid in the same time by 100 hands. Making the time necessary
for the construction of the road by a force of 1,200 hands about 200
days, or eight months. No estimate is made here for the masonry, as
very little of that kind of work would be practicable at this time.
But temporary culverts and tunnels could be built that would answer
all present purposes, and a very material saving made in that way. I
propose to construct the bridge over the Congaree on wooden piers, in
a manner that will admit of the stone piers being built hereafter. By
doing this the bridge can be built for one-tenth what it would cost if
we had to use stone piers now, and in very much shorter time. The
importance of the early construction of this road is too evident for
me to allude to. The Government is much interested in it. If the war
is to last another year, the use of it would benefit the Government
alone more than its entire cost. The saving of a few hours in the
transportation of one brigade of troops alone would have rendered the
victory at Chattanooga last fall decisive, and the same thing may
occur again. The President, as you know, has taken frequent occasion
to call the attention of the Secretary of War to the importance of the
work, and to obtain certain facilities to assist us, by the detail of
contractors, &c., but so far, without any decided result. It is to
be hoped that now, as we have completed the location and prepared to
put the work under contract, something will be done by the Government
to show their appreciation of the work, and that some favors will be
allowed us. If we were enabled to purchase provisions at the
Government prices, it would relieve us of one of our most serious
difficulties, and unsure us any desired number of hands for the work. |
| A map of the road has been
made out, which will show the location better than it can be
described. Tables, also, of the grads, straight lines and curves, will
be found attached. On the completion of the location, the engineer
corps was disbanded, with the exception of Mr. Fleming Gardner,
Principal Assistant, who has had charge of the surveys and location,
and Mr. Gordan-Gardner, who has been engaged since in making up the
maps, profiles and estimates. It is hardly necessary for me to say
that the surveys and location have been conducted in the most
satisfactory manner, the experience and ability of the principal
assistant have rendered my office almost a nominal one. The other
assistants, also, have performed their work in a faithful manner. |
| Respectfully, &c. |
| James G. Gibbes, Chief Engineer |
|