| From the Minutes of the Board of Directors of the
Eastern Texas Railroad |
| |
| The Report of B F Marsh Chf Engineer was
presented to the Board and read in these terms, |
| "To the President and Directors of
the Eastern Texas Rail Road |
| |
| Gentlemen, |
| In accordance with your instructions I
respectfully submit the following Annual Report. The graduation,
grubbing and clearing of 51 1/2 miles of your road has been completed
and 27 1/2 miles of the road completed ready for actual use. The
materials used in the construction of the road completed are of the
best kind and the road is fairly entitled to take its rank among the
first class roads of our Country. |
| There are two Bridges on the first
division of 25 miles. The first across Mud Bayou 3 miles from Sabine
Pass, is a substantial Pile Bridge 220 feet long. The Second is a Draw
Bridge on the 8th mile across Taylor's Bayou. The draw is 36 feet. The
approach to it is by a good Pile Bridge. The depth of water is 16 feet
and the foundation solid the length of this Bridge is 210 feet. There
are no culverts on this part of the road a few open Drains at the
Surface being all that is required. The road has been formed by a
slight embankment and the surface is uniform and nearly level. The
embankment soil average about 1 1/2 feet in height. The width on top
is 12 feet and side slopes of 1 1/2 feet base to 1 foot perpendicular.
The road bed is dry and firm with but few exceptions and the cheap
maintenance of a permanent track secured by efficient drainage. The
grade of the first 10 miles is level. From thence to the end of the
division the ascent is 25 feet, being at the rate of 1 2/3 feet per
mile. The Iron rails are of Superior quality. The weight is 56 lbs per
lineal yard except about 3 miles which is 57 & 58 lbs per yard.
The width or guage of the track is (5 1/2) five and one half feet. |
| The following Tabular Statement shows the
alignment or course and distance of the first division of 25 miles.
Beginning at a point 691 feet west and 1972 feet North of the North
East Corner of the Dennis Gahagan League at Sabine Pass |
| |
Straight Lines |
|
Curved Lines |
| |
Course |
Distance in Feet |
|
Degree of Curve per 100 feet |
Length of Curve |
Radius of Curve |
Angle of deflection |
| Thence |
N 8d 41m W |
4100 |
Thence |
Curve Left |
1480 ft |
2196 ft |
38d 36m |
| " |
N 47d 17m W |
1320 |
" |
2d 50m Curve Left |
1500 " |
2023 |
42d 30m |
| " |
N 89d 47m W |
1100 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Right |
400 " |
3820 |
6d |
| " |
N 83d 47, W |
600 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Left |
900 " |
3820 |
13d 30m |
| " |
S 82d 43m W |
800 |
" |
Curve Right |
900 " |
2162 |
23d 50m |
| " |
N 73d 27m W |
1900 |
" |
2d Curve Right |
500 " |
2865 |
10d |
| " |
N 63d 27m W |
3000 |
" |
2d 28m Curve Right |
1400 " |
2323 |
37d |
| " |
N 26d 27m W |
3300 |
" |
1d Curve Right |
1000 " |
5730 |
10d |
| " |
N 16d 27m W |
12173 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Right |
1700 " |
3820 |
25d 30m |
| " |
N 9d 03m East |
5379 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Right |
1333 " |
3820 |
20d |
| " |
N 29d 03m East |
16548 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Left |
1600 " |
3820 |
24d |
| " |
N 5d 03m East |
8128 |
" |
1d Curve Left |
4234 " |
5730 |
42d 23m |
| " |
N 37d 20m W |
15850 |
" |
30m Curve Left |
2300 " |
11460 |
11d 30m |
| " |
N 48d 50m W |
37194 |
" |
1d Curve Right |
1000 " |
5730 |
10d |
| " |
N 38d 50m W |
361to End 25 Mls |
|
|
| |
Total |
111753 ft |
Total 20247 ft |
|
|
|
| {d = degree; m = minute} |
| From the foregoing it will be seen that 21
miles and 873 feet is straight and 3 miles and 4407 feet is curved
line. The most of the curved line is on the first 5 miles. This is
caused by a deep indentation of the Shore of Sabine Lake which extends
west of the Depot 3 miles while the Northing is only 1 3/4 miles. |
| The length of the first division in a
Straight line is 21 miles and 2536 feet and the Course is N 26d 24m W.
Beginning at the terminus of the first division 26 1/2 consecutive
miles are graded ready for the cross ties and other Superstructure and
2 7/10 miles of the track have been laid on the second division. The
Course and distance of the road so graded is as follows. |
| Beginning at the end of the first Division |
| |
Straight
Lind |
|
Curved
Line |
| |
Course |
Distance in feet |
|
Degree of Curve per
100 ft |
Length of line in
feet |
Radius in feet |
Angle of Deflection |
| Thence |
N 38d 50m W |
18312 |
Thence |
30m Curve Left |
433 |
11460 |
2d 10m |
| " |
N 41d W |
40966 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Right |
2167 |
3820 |
32d 30m |
| " |
N 8d 30m W |
13954 |
" |
30m Curve Left |
467 |
11460 |
2d 20m |
| " |
N 10d 50m W |
3378 |
" |
30m Curve Left |
380 |
11460 |
1d 54m |
| " |
N 12d 44m W |
5153 |
" |
1d 30m Curve Left |
962 |
3820 |
14d 16m |
| " |
N 27d W |
47474 |
" |
1d Curve Right |
388 |
5730 |
3d 53m |
| " |
N 23d 07m W |
5886 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Total |
135123 |
|
Total |
4797 |
|
|
|
| This division is straight except 4797 feet
of Curved line. The embankments are 12 feet wide on top for the first
15 miles. For the remaining distance they are 14 feet wide on top. The
excavations are 20 feet wide at grade and the side slopes of cuts and
fills are 1 1/2 feet base to 1 foot perpendicular. |
| The first 13 miles reaching to Pine Island
Bayou is over the Prairie and nearly all in Embankment which will
average one foot in height. From thence to the end of the graded road
the graduation is more expensive. The Surface is slightly undulating
and requires cutting and filling alternately to form the road bed.
Some of the excavations are five feet in depth and the embankments are
from 1 to 3 feet. At Pine Island Bayou for a distance of 3600 feet the
embankment is 3 to 12 feet high. The grade of the road for practical
use is but little inferior to a level road. There are a few
undulations in the grade but the ascent and descent is but a few feet
in any single mile. The greatest ascent is on the 50th mile which is
only 16 1/2 feet and the average rate of ascent is 2 feet per mile.
There is but one Bridge which is across Pine Island Bayou. The length
will be about 300 feet. The water is 27 feet in depth and the Bridge
23 feet high above the water. There will be 5 open Culverts or
Trestlework crossing small branches. The average length is 60 feet and
height 8 feet. Besides the foregoing there will be 6 open drains near
the surface and 6 feet wide each. Nothing has been done on the Bridge
and Culverts. The Cross Ties have been furnished and the greater
portion delivered on or near the road. The cost per mile of the road
already completed is as follows. |
| For graduation including old grade |
$50,000.00 |
| " Bridging &c |
5,500.00 |
| " Cross Ties |
42,000.00 |
| " Tracklaying 25
miles 2 475$ |
11,875.00 |
| " Engine House,
Turnout, Tanks & fixtures and Depot ground |
8,000.00 |
|
$117,375.00 |
| Add 10 per cent for Superintendence and
Contingencies |
11,737.50 |
|
Spikes and Chairs |
12,500.00 |
|
2218 Tons Iron @ 60$ |
133,080.00 |
|
2 Locomotives |
20,500.00 |
|
2 Iron and 2 Hand Cars |
500.00 |
|
10 Freight Cars |
7,000.00 |
| Extra
Charges Freight & Insurance |
5,000.00 |
|
$307,692.50 |
|
| The average cost per mile is $12307.70. |
| The road has not yet been opened for
business and the Company have run a construction train only at a cost
of about 500$ per month. All the expenses for running the train and
other work are chargeable to the Construction Account and nothing for
repairs. |
| The Company have two Locomotives in use.
One of 21 Tons and one of 23 Tons. These are well finished and
Serviceable machines, capable of transporting over the road from 20 to
25 freight cars, each having a maximum load of 8 Tons. There are 10
Freight Cars but no passenger cars. Besides these freight cars there
are delivered at Sabine Pass the wheels axles and springs and all the
iron work complete for 25 freight cars. |
| Estimate of the Second Division as
follows. |
| 30,000 Cubic Yds Excavation & Ditching @ 25c |
$7,500.00 |
| 80,000
" "
Embankment
@ 25c |
20,000.00 |
| 20 Miles Grubbing & Clearing @ 450$ |
9,000.00 |
| 2 7/10 Miles Track
laid
@ 475$ |
1,282.50 |
| 8000 Cross Ties at 60c |
4,800.00 |
| 50,000
"
" " 30c |
15,000.00 |
|
57,582.50 |
| Add 10 per cent for Contingencies |
5,758.25 |
| 282 Tons Iron at {$60} |
16,920.00 |
| 50 Trucks Iron work complete for 25 cars |
12,500.00 |
|
$92,760.75 |
|
| June 7th 1861 |
| Respectfully submitted |
| B F Marsh |
| Chief Engineer" |