TX, T&NO 2/2/1861

Houston
February 2nd 1861
 
To the Hon. Board of School Commissioners of the State of Texas
 
Gentlemen,
   Your letter of the 15th ultimo directing me to examine & report upon the condition of the Texas & New Orleans Rail Road, so as to enable you to act advisably upon the application of the said Company for the loan from the State, under the several act of the Legislature relating to the investment of the Special School Fund, was duly received; and I have the honor to submit the following report as the result of my investigations.
   There are over Eight-one miles of track laid, and three & 99/100 miles of permanent side track.
2nd. There are 26 Bridges as follows:
No. Name of Structure Height in feet Width in feet Length in feet  No. of spans Diameter of Piles Size of Caps Size of Stringers
1 These Sections No. from Houston East way to the Sabine & Trinity Rivers 4 8 350 22 Fourteen inches Oak Oak 10x10 Pine 10x16
2 4 6 3/4 140 21 " 12x10 Cyprus 24x14
3 4 " 168 " " "
4 4 " 210 " " "
5 5 " 224 " " "
6 4 " 88 " " "
7 4 " 14   " "
8 4 " 120   " "
9 12 11 300 2 " 14x14 Pine 16x16
10 " " 500 " " "
11 11 11 150 " " "
12 10 " 160 3 " "
13 10 " 180 4 " "
14 " " 150 6 " "
15 5 6 140 8 " "
16 " " 126 " " "
17 7 11 128 10 " "
18 5 6 56 11 " "
19 10 11 96 " " "
20 " " 136 13 " "
21 " " 32 " " "
22 " " 240 15 " "
23 8 " 302 16 " "
24 " " 50 17 " "
25 " " 500 22 " "
26 " " 49 " " "
No. 20 Cow Bayou
No. 22 Cobs Creek
No. 23 Seiucius Slough
3rd The embankments vary in height from 0 to 11 feet, in width from 10 to 14 feet, side slopes 1 1/2 feet to 1 foot. Excavations from 0 to 10 feet in depth, width 18 feet, slopes 1 1/2 to 1
4th The rate of grade per mile varies from 0 to 54 feet. The difference in level between the termini is 20 feet the Eastern terminus being the lower. There are 80 changes of grade.
5th The Iron Rails weigh from 54 to 58 lbs per yard, and is of the first class of English iron, presenting when fractured a dark grey color.
6th The Gauge of the Road is 5 feet 6 inches
7th The course & length of each tangent on the completed portion of the Road is as follows:
No. Stations Course Dist. Remarks
1 True 0 to 82 S 63 deg W 8200 The first numbering is from the Niclus to the Trinity. The 2nd from Niclus to the Sabine & the 3rd from the Trinity west
2 " 102 " 1380 S 72 deg, 40' W 117800
3 " 1419 " 2175 N 89 deg W 75000
4 " 2214 " 2220 S 76 deg 30' W 600
5 " 2235 " 2552 S 77 deg, 13' W 1700
6 " 2265 " 2310 S 85 deg, 45' W 4500
7 " 76 " 200 N 72 deg E 12400
8 " 223 " 909 N 83 deg, 35' E 68600
9 " 921 " 1154 S 84 deg E 23300
10 " 1176.54 " 1186 S 74 deg, 10'E 2000
11 " 1195.30 " 1198 N 69 deg, 50' E 250
12 " 2311 " 2484 S 85 deg, 45' W 17300
13 " 2510 " 2517 S 34 deg W 700
14 ---   --- S14 deg, 30' W 100
15 " 2524 " 2863 S 40 deg W 30900
8th The number of curves on the completed portion of the Road, with the length, degree of curvature, radius & elevation of the outer rail on each, are as per following table:
No. Direction Length Curvature per 100 ft Radius Elevation of outer rail
1 Right 2000 ft 0 deg, 30' 11460 One inch
2 " 5700 " 0 deg, 30' " "
3 Left 3900 " 4 deg, 00' 1432 Four  "
4 Right 1500 " 0 deg, 30' 11460 One  "
5 " 1350 " " "
6 " 2300 1 deg, 00' 5730 Two  "
7 " 1200 " " "
8 " " " " "
9 Left 950 4 deg, 00' 1432 Four  "
10 " 2600 2 deg, 00' 2865 Two  "
11 " 800 " " "
12 " 400 3 deg, 00' 1910 Three  "
9th Almost the entire line of the Road in advance of the Track is graded and ready for the cross ties. The embankments on this portion vary in length from 0 to 20 feet, in width from 12 to 14 feet, slopes 1 1/2 to 1. The excavations from 0 to 15 feet in depth, width 18 feet, slopes 1 to 1. There are 26 Bridges on this portion of the Road, most of which are finished.
10th The Road has been & is still being constructed under contract with E. L. Weutz & Co, and Morris Campbell & Co, at an average cost of about $15,000 per mile.
11th No trains have been run except for purposes of construction by the contractors, of which no account has been kept.
12th No road signs have been erected, but the usual signals are given at the crossings.
13th Each Locomotive is furnished with a Bell & Steam Whistle.
14th The Company have now in use 4 Locomotives of about 20 Tons weight, of 200 Tons Capacity, 60 Horse Power, 5 Box, 40 Platform, 2 Passenger & Eight Hand Cars. 1 Blacksmith Shop, r Water stations, & 1 Depot have been built, but no workshop or Engine House.
15th 2240 cross ties per mile, 9 ft long by 6 inches wide & 6 inches deep, are used. Principally of oak & yellow pine
16th The Turnouts are as follows:
At Liberty 4217 ft at Mr Adam Richards 1350 ft
" Davis Woods 1650 " " Lewis Leaks 1419 "
" Pine Island 1304 " " Beaumont 4920 "
" Sandy Point 1200 " " ??dail 1500 "
" Corn Bayou 1500 " " Orange 2400 "
17th Alluvial surface, underlaid with clay, average depth of soils 20 feet.
18th In forming the trains, the Passenger Car is placed in the rear. No public announcement has been made of the times of running the train. There are no persons in the Company's service employed on the trains.
19th In November there were 3 men killed by the embankment giving way & the cars running off, caused by the heavy rains. The cars were at work repairing the embankment at the time.
20th The Line of the road has been designated from Orange in Orange County, through the Counties of Jefferson, Liberty & Harris to the City of Houston.
24th The cost of each section of the Road & the average cost of the whole road has been about $10,000 per mile.
25th The officers of the Company remain unchanged -- also the Directors
26th The financial condition of the Company remains about the same -- chiefly changed by indebtedness to contractors for increased length of Road & by Bonds to the State for the loans heretofore obtained.
   General observations
   The foregoing embraces all the essential facts of the condition of the Company. The character of the Road is with a few exceptions very good, and portions of it is the best run road I have seen in this state.
   The energy displayed by the Company in pushing forward their enterprize to a completion is the subject of universal commendation.
   All of which is respectfully submitted for your consideration.
Very Respectfully
Your obt Svt
E. F. Gray, C. E.
 
The State of Texas
Harris County
   Before me Geo Goldthwaite a Notary Public in and for the county and state aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified this day personally appeared E. F. Gray, Civil Engineer to me known, who being duly sworn under oath says -- That the facts as set forth in the foregoing report are true to the best of his knowledge and belief. Given under my hand and notarized seal this 2nd day of February 1861.
Geo Goldthwaite
NP HC

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