SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BARRE AND WORCESTER RAILROAD COMPANY. To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: / In compliance with the provisions of law, the Directors of the Barre and Worcester Railroad Corporation respectfully submit their second annual report : The directors regret that they cannot report that more has been accomplished towards the construction and completion of the road. Since the last annual report, the location of the road has been made, and plans of the location filed, according to the provisions of law; and we are happy in saying, the location presents a much more favorable aspect as to grades, curves, and cost of construction, than was anticipated. The report of the engineer is hereto annexed, and made part of this report. No assessments have been made, but the expense of the location has been liquidated by subscriptions, with a promise of repayment in stock in the road; and some expenses have been incurred by individuals, to be reimbursed hereafter. The great pressure in the money market has prevented a large subscription to the stock of the road; but the directors are confident of ultimate success, and intend to commence the construction of the road in the coming spring. Directors of the Barre and Worcester Railroad Corporation. Worcester, January 15th, 1849. WORCESTER, SS. January 15th, 1849. Then personally appeared before me, Isaac Davis, John W. Lincoln, John Brooks, Ethan A. Greenwood, Seth Caldwell, James Estabrook, W. A. Wheeler, Charles L. Knowlton, and made oath that the foregoing report, by them subscribed, was true, according to their best knowledge and belief. CALEB DANA, Justice of the Peace. To the President and Directors of the Barre and Worcester Railroad Company: GENTLEMEN,- As the various questions in relation to the choice of route for the location of the Barre and Worcester Railroad, arising during the progress of the surveys, were, from time to time, duly submitted to you, and acted upon, it seems unnecessary to recur to them here; and I therefore proceed at once to lay before you the following short description of the line finally adopted, and filed, accompanied by the data necessary for your report to the Legislature, and such tables as will afford full information in regard to the working capabilities or efficiency of the road after its construction. 1. The part of the line which has been designated on the plan the "Barre Division," follows very closely the first survey of Mr. Davenport, passing from Barre, by Smith's Factory, Coldbrook, Barre Falls, the Rhode Island Mills, Underwood's Mills, Bigelow's and Savage's Factory, to the Worcester division at Princeton. The work on this division will be extremely light, with the exception of a rock cutting near, and the bridge across, Ware River, at Barre Falls, and the material is generally excellent. The sharpest curve is turned upon a radius of 1432 feet, and the worst grade is 45 feet per mile. This maximum may be reduced to that of 41 feet per mile, at small additional outlay, and the line itself may perhaps be straightened, at some points, by a change of location, and increased cost; but such investigation as I could make, without sinking shafts, (and this, time would not allow,) lead me to suppose the present line the best one for the interests of the company, under existing circum stances. I refer, here, particularly to the important saving of distance proposed to be effected by the Mundell hill route, instead of that by Bigelow's. The length of the "Barre Division" is 13 miles, 3653 feet; and the grade line, after its first descent towards Smith's, loses no ground in reaching Princeton; that is to say, makes no intervening summit. 1 2. The "Worcester Division" begins at a point on the Worcester and • Nashua Railroad, 3 miles, 5160 feet from the passenger-house of the Boston and Worcester Railroad, in Worcester, and the line, bearing to the left, passes across the valley, by Lee's Factory, and then, by the western slope of the Quinapoxit River valley, gradually ascends to Princeton summit. The route of the located line is generally that of the old survey, except, that it does not cross the Quinapoxit until very near Princeton summit. This alteration, I consider one of much importance, and effecting a saving in cost, for the expensive bridge and bad curves originally projected will be avoided without causing a corresponding outlay. A gradient of 41 feet per mile, from opposite Lee's Factory, passes the summit, at Princeton, with a cut of 34 feet at the deepest point, and an inclination of 40 feet per mile would suit the ground still better, except at the summit, when the cut would be increased to about 42 feet at the deepest point. But, in order to arrange convenient positions for the way stations between these points, I have assumed a maximum of 45 feet per mile, and divided this plane into shorter ones, having those, where the stations will probably be situated, at inclinations not exceeding 18 feet per mile. Two, out of the three, are less than 16 feet per mile. The shortest radius of any curve laid down upon this division, is 2865 feet; and the gradients, recollecting the elevation to be surmounted, are considered very good. Near Lee's Factory, however, there is an unavoidable loss of 33.24 feet. This division is 12 miles, 3566 feet in length. 3. The line throughout the " Gardner Division," differs very considerably in character from that of either of the other divisions, as it is both direct and comparatively level; its steepest gradient being only 16 feet per mile, and the sharpest curve, excepting the immediate junction with the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad, which is made by a compound curve of 955 feet least radius, turned upon 2865 feet. After reaching Princeton summit, the grade line is kept up so as to avoid making another summit between that and the junction at South Gardner, the point known as Hubbardston summit, being cut 17 feet at the deepest point, and thus allowing the difference of elevation between the summit cut at Princeton, and the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad, at South Gardner, to be overcome by a series of level and ascending planes. This division begins at Princeton summit, and the line crossing Ware River skirts the eastern bank of Moosehorn pond; then it is nearly aight as far as Hubbardston summit, near which, it curves to the eastward, and, again making a long stretch of very direct line, terminates at the junction at South Gardner. Its length is 9 miles, 1780 feet. On both the Worcester and Gardner divisions, the location is an improvement upon the old survey, being better, in line and level, without incurring the probability of greater cost in construction. On the contrary, as I have before stated, an important saving will, I think, be made. A comparatively small amount of expensive masonry will be required for these two divisions, and some of the deeper cuttings, which are now arranged with a view to equalize, as much as possible, the cutting and embankments, may be very much lessened by slight changes of the centre line,-perhaps within the limits of the location, should rock be found in too large quantities, on sinking shafts preparatory to a commencenent of the work. The grade line also, which is now laid down, may, on many parts of the work, be altered, without going beyond its present maximum, if circumstances occur which are not now calculated upon. The distance from the Boston and Worcester Railroad passenger-house, in Worcester, to Barre, is 30 miles, 604 feet. The distance from the same point in Worcester, to Gardner, is 25 miles, 5226 feet. Table No. 1, contains the data which are required to be embraced in the Company's annual report to the Legislature. Tables No. 2, show the length of each straight line and curve; the radius of each curve, the whole amount of straight line, and the whole amount of curved line, for the "Barre Division," and for the "Worcester" and "Gardner" Divisions. Tables No. 3, and 4, are tables of gradients for the Barre, and for the Worcester and Gardner, Divisions; showing, also, the elevation of the level planes above grade, at the depot of the Boston and Worcester Railroad, in Worcester. The immediate charge of the field work on the Worcester and Gardner divisions was taken by Mr. Holman, and that of the Barre division, by Mr. Davenport. I am much indebted to both of them for carrying out, in a satisfactory manner, and within the time specified, what I had agreed should be done. In the course of examination, in order to secure the best route, Mr. Holman surveyed nearly 50 miles of trial lines, besides staking out the location. Respectfully submitted, Boston, January 13th, 1849. By your obedient servant, SAMUEL ASHHORNE. TABLE NO. 1. Length of road, 13 ms. 3653 ft. TOTAL. Barre Division, Maximum grade, with Barre Division, ft. ms. ft. 45 for 4 3280 ft. ms. ft. Worc. & Gardner Divisions, 45 8 47 45 for 12 3327 Total rise and fall, Barre Division, 363.7765 ft. Worc. & Gardner Divisions, 496.9716 ft. 860.7481 ft. Total length of Barre Division, 8 ms. 400 ft. straight line, Worc. & Gardner Divisions, 12 ms. 4631 ft. 20 ms. 5031 ft. |