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 Repots 
 
 185S> 
 
Library 
 
 OF THE 
 
 University of NortH Carolina 
 
 This book was presented by 
 
 MfS.3.tV\<lDo>A4G.tl 
 
 Co 355.1 - VS( 5£pl 
 
Doc. No. 34.] 
 
 [Ses. 1858-'9. 
 
 Ordered to he Printed. 
 
 Holden & Wilson, Printers to the State. 
 
 REPORTS OF THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF ENGIN- 
 EER OF THE WESTERN NORTH-CAROLINA RAIL- 
 ROAD COMPANY. 
 
 <3 
 
 Office, Western N. C. R. R. Co., } 
 Morganton, Nov. 6, 1858. j 
 
 My Dear Sir : Your favor of the 1st instant has been re- 
 ceived, and I hasten to furnish the information you desire. 
 
 The Iron on our road has been laid from Salisbury to States- 
 ville, a distance of 26 miles, and the road is completed, equip- 
 ped and in full operation to the latter point, transporting the 
 mail and passengers daily in connection with the mail trains 
 on the N. C. R. R. The universal testimony borne by per- 
 sons capable of judging, is to the effect that it is in every as- 
 pect a road of the very first class, as far as the same has been 
 completed, and does not, I think, exceed in cost the original 
 estimate at the time of location. 
 
 The grading from Statesville to the Catawba river, a dis- 
 tance of thirteen miles, is completed and ready for the iron, 
 with the exception of one or two sections, and will be entire- 
 ly finished by the 1st of January next. The masonry on that 
 part of the line is likewise finished, with the exception of a 
 single viaduct, which will be completed by the same time. 
 
 The grading and masonry from the river to a point near 
 " Hale's Store," a distance of sixteen miles, is in a state of 
 
- Document No. 34. [Session 
 
 much forwardness, and will be completed early in the spring. 
 The iron has been purchased for laying the track to the point 
 near " Hale's Store," within twenty -three miles of Morgan - 
 ton, and will be received in time to renew the operation of 
 laying track by the 1st January ; but that operation may be, 
 and is likely to be postponed until the spring opens, with a 
 view to avoid the danger of imperfect construction occasioned 
 by freezing weather in winter, and also to allow the road- 
 bed time to settle. I feel assured that the iron will be laid 
 and the road in full operation to a point within twenty-three 
 miles of Morganton, by the 1st day of November next, if not 
 earlier 
 
 The residue of the line to Morganton, twenty-three miles, 
 is under contract, and the grading and masonry thereon is 
 progressing with despatch. The contract provides for the 
 completion of the road to Morganton by the 1st of January, 
 1861, but the indications are that the work to that place will 
 be consummated within the time specified, probably by mid- 
 summer of 1860 ; indeed I am satisfied that no more delay 
 will ensue in the progress of the work on the line than ought 
 to occur, in order to secure a good and safe road-bed—a sus- 
 pension of the laying of iron at the point near "Hale's" du- 
 ring the winter of 1859-'60, or perhaps at a point some miles 
 west, would be the part of wisdom whatever may be the 
 progress of grading at that time, and a renewal of the opera- 
 tion of track laying the succeeding spring, will complete the 
 road to Morganton by the earliest time indicated above. 
 
 An actual location has been made of the line of the second 
 section from Morganton to a point 10 miles east of the west- 
 ern portal of the Swannanoa tunnel, and the estimated cost 
 thereof is being calculated with a view to open books <*«-r ;) - 
 dividual subscriptions as directed in our amended charter ; 
 the line thus located is even more favorable in point of cost 
 than was anticipated ; the surveys were again made across 
 the mountain section, accurately surveyed and the location 
 made, and the cost is now being estimated in order that the 
 same may be laid before the next General Assembly. 
 
 I am gratified in stating that an actual location of the line.. 
 
 -V 
 
1858-'9.] Document No 31. 3 
 
 of the mountain section has reduced the whole aggregate of 
 tunneling to half a mile — the main tunnel included, besides 
 reductions of costs in other respects, thus proving beyond all 
 question that the Swannanoa route is the cheapest railway 
 route ever located across the Alleghanies. 
 
 I have instructed the Chief Engineer to address you from 
 Salisbury, giving some further particulars connected with the 
 progress of the work, and especially the results of our late sur- 
 veys on the line not yet in progress of construction. 
 
 Any expression of favor towards our road on your part con- 
 tained in your forthcoming message will be highly apprecia- 
 ted by our people. 
 
 With great respect, 
 
 Your obedient servant. 
 
 R. C. PEARSON, Preft. 
 
 To Gov. Bragg. 
 
 Chief Engineer's Office, Western N. C. R. R., 
 Salisbury, N. O, Nov. 11th, 1858. 
 To His Excellency, Thomas Bragg, 
 
 Governor of N orth- Carolina : 
 
 Sir : — At the instance of the President of this Company, I 
 am induced to comply with your requisition upon him, to 
 furnish a statement touching the progress and present condi- 
 tion of the Western North-Carolina Railroad, together with 
 the probable time required for the completion of the First 
 Section to the town of Morganton. 
 
 I do not propose to enter into any elaborate report, but to 
 present such a brief statement of facts as will give you the 
 information desired, which I take great pleasure in submit- 
 ting. 
 
 The First Section extends from Salisbury to Morganton, 
 and is 75.6 miles in extent, but for convenient reference sub- 
 divided into two Divisions, the first extending from Salisbury 
 to Hale's, the terminus of the First Section, under the original 
 Charter, and is 52.2 miles long; the Second Division extend- 
 
4 Document No. 34. [Session 
 
 ing from Hale's to Morganton, a distance of 23.4 miles, and is 
 the terminus of the First Section, under the amended Charter. 
 The gradation of the first 37 miles of the First Division ex- 
 tending from Salisbury to the Catawba River has been com- 
 pleted, except at three several points West of Statesville, and 
 these will probably be finished before the 1st January, 1859 ; 
 the remaining portion of the First Division of the First Sec- 
 tion, a distance of 18 miles, including a branch of 3 miles to the 
 town of Newton, has about two-thirds of the work done, and 
 will be completed early next year. 
 
 The masonry on the entire First Section extending from 
 Salisbury to Hale's, 55.2 miles, including the branch to New- 
 ton, has been completed, except the bridge at Catawba River, 
 where there is one pier only yet to build. The iron has been 
 laid down for 25 miles, the distance between Salisbury and 
 Statesville ; the road is therefore completed between those 
 two points, and for the purposes of the road, sufficiently 
 equipped with Locomotives and other rolling stock, and Cars 
 successfully running, carrying freight and passengers, with the 
 United States Mail daily. 
 
 The cross-ties are being laid down West of Statesville, and 
 at an early day we shall resume the laying down of the iron. 
 
 It is intended to push forward the track-laying as vigorous- 
 ly as possible, so that its completion to Hale's is confidently 
 anticipated before the next annual meeting of stock-holders 
 on the 27th of August. The entire Second Division of the 
 First Section has been let to Charles F. Fisher, Esq., for 
 completion. He now has a large force of hands employed, 
 both on the grading and masonry, which it is expected will 
 be greatly increased after the 1st of January, 1859. The con- 
 tract for this work provides for its completion by the 1st of 
 January, 1861, and we have no great reason to suppose that 
 its completion will be dela} r ed beyond that time. 
 
 The location of the Second Section, extending from Morgan- 
 ton to the base of the Blue Ridge, a point ten miles East of 
 the Western portal of the Swanannoa Tunnel, as well as the 
 Third Section, has just been completed. Estimates, maps and 
 profiles of these Sections are now being made, and will be 
 
1858-9.] Document No. 34. 5 
 
 submitted at an early day, for which I respectfully ask your 
 earnest consideration. 
 
 The annexed tables showing the actual cost as compared with 
 the original estimate, the amount of work done, the amount of 
 work to be done, as well as the total cost of the First Division 
 of the First Section, as ascertained up to this time, are res- 
 pectfully presented. By reference to them the fact appears 
 that after allowing a small margin of $10,000 for contingen- 
 cies, the First Division of the First Section of the Western 
 North-Carolina Railroad will be completed for a sum less than 
 the originally estimated cost : 
 
 STATEMENT 
 
 Showing the estimated cost, and the actual cost of the Grading, 
 Masonry, Bridging and Superstructure on 25 miles of road 
 extending from Salisbury to Statesville. 
 
 ESTIMATED COST ORIGINAL ESTIMATE. 
 
 For Graduation, Masonry, Bridge, Superstructure 
 
 and Cross-ties, 304,380.76 
 
 Ten per cent, for Contingencies, 30,138.07 
 
 Iron for Superstructure, and laying down the 
 same, 185,023.00 
 
 Total, $519,841.83 
 
 ACTUAL COST FINAL ESTIMATE. 
 
 For Graduation, Masonry, Bridge, Superstructure 
 
 and Cross-ties, 302,076.57 
 
 Iron for Superstructure, and laying down the 
 
 same, " 182,102.00 
 
 Land Damages, 9,975.90 
 
 Lime and Cement, 5,000.00 
 
 Total, $499,154.47 
 
 Total by Original Estimate, $519,841.83 
 
 Total by Actual Cost, $499,154.47 
 
 
 
 Difference, $ 20,687.36 
 
Document No. 34. 
 
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lS5S-'9.] Document No. 34. . 7 
 
 The estimates for the Second and Third Sections are based 
 upon the same data and made up from information derived 
 in the same manner as the estimates on the First Sections. 
 The cost of the work on the Western end of the road is no more 
 difficult to ascertain than the cost of the Eastern end. Then 
 is it not fair to infer, that if the First Division of the First Sec- 
 tion can be completed for a sum less than the estimated cost, 
 that the entiie road may be completed and put in running 
 order for its estimated cost ? 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 JAMES C. TUEXEE, 
 Chief Eng. W. Hf. C. E. R. 
 
Photomount 
 
 Pamphlet 
 
 Binder 
 
 Gaylord Bros. 
 
 Makers 
 
 Syracuse 
 
 ^M 
 
 wmmM 
 
 1 ■ ! ' ' '' ■ ■ 
 
 N. Y. 
 
 PAT. JAN 21,1908 
 
 m 
 
 <■.•:.:■'..'.■•:■.'': 
 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 
 j^fasi 
 
 00042071480 
 
 FOR USE ONLY IN 
 THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 
 
 \ 
 
 OJ 
 
 to 
 
 Form Wo. /A-368, Rev. 8/95