| Engineer's Office, T. & N. O. R. R. |
| Houston December 5th 1862 |
| |
|
A. M. Gentry Esq.
|
| President T. & N. O. R. R. |
|
|
| Sir, |
| I herewith submit an Estimate of the cost
of, and the time required for, connecting the track of the Eastern
Texas Railroad with that of the Texas & New Orleans Rail road,
near Beaumont. In making the estimate, I have allowed nothing for the
cost of the rails, chairs, spikes or switch fixtures, as the Eastern
Texas Company have them on hand; but I have assumed that the
Government would have to hire all the men and teams required to remove
them from the lower end of the track, and place them on the cars on
the north side of Taylors Bayou. If soldiers are detailed for this
duty and Government teams can be furnished, of course the Estimate
Should be reduced by the amount assumed to be required for that
purpose. |
| As the Eastern Texas R. R. Co. have but 10
{maybe 19} cars in
running order, they cannot haul more than 100 tons at a load. This
however will not prevent the transportation of all the material (about
200 tons) in one night, from the north side of Taylors bayou, as the
train can make one trip and return in time to get loaded, and get off
between dark in the evening, and day light next morning. The time
required for getting out and delivering the cross ties (if the
ordinary pine of the country is taken) will be from 3 to five (5)
days. This can only be accomplished by detaining 75 to 100 soldiers
for the duty, and furnishing sufficient teams for hauling the ties to
the RR as fast as required. |
| After the ties are distributed, the track
can be laid in 2 to 3 days, by taking a large gang of track layers
from our road. |
| I therefore estimate that the connection
can be made in from 5 to 8 days from the time of commencing work. |
| Estimated cost of connecting the tracks of
the Eastern Texas and Texas & New Orleans RR at Beaumont. |
| 5040 Cross ties delivered and distributed @ |
60c |
3024.00 |
| 2 3/4 miles track laid |
$400 |
900.00 |
| putting in 3 switches @ |
$35 |
105.00 |
| Taking up and removing 2 1/4 miles of Iron
chairs and spikes from South to north side of Taylors bayou |
100 men on night @ $5.00 |
500.00 |
| Hauling the above and loading on cars |
|
200.00 |
| Repairing Taylors bayou Bridge |
|
200.00 |
|
|
$4929.00 |
| 191 1/4 tons iron rails with chairs
and spikes for 2 1/4 miles of track |
|
| 3 frogs switch castings and fixtures |
|
|
| Respectfully, |
| W. W. Morris |
| Chf. Eng. T. & N. O. R. R. |