Our route being from east to west, or transverse to the general course of the streams and ridges, no line of any extent in that direction, either level, or of a given inclination to the horizon, can be maintained, without resorting, either to a succession of cuttings and fillings, or a constant series of curves. Keeping the difficulties in view in both cases, and avoiding either extreme, we endeavor to adopt a medium, as near as may be, depending in each instance upon the particular locality.

The declivity of the country, on both sides of the summit, in the proper direction for the route, being too great to attempt to cross directly from one valley to the other, without the intervention of inclined planes, we are compelled to deviate from the true course, and conform in a great degree to the direction of the ridges, and to attain the required elevation, by giving to the line such an inclination as may be considered admissible, viz. one which shall be fully within that upon which a locomotive engine may work effectively. Such a line cannot, of necessity, as has been before remarked, be direct in its course; it must in this be governed by the form of the ground. The general character of this portion of the line being understood, we proceed in our attempt to find the best practicable route, across from Worcester to the Chickopee.

The main ridge being sufficiently well defined, as a preliminary step, a line of levels was traced in 1835, along the same, from Charlton to Paxton, about 15 miles, in a direction nearly north, to ascertain the principal depressions. These, as is usually the case in similar situations, were found at those points near which tributaries of different streams have their sources. By this profile, Charlton Meeting-house is about 455 feet above the Worcester Rail-Road, and Paxton Meeting-house about 655 feet above the same point. From this statement it is evident that, so far as the height of the summit is concerned, we must look to the south for the least elevated ground.

The most southern of the depressions, selected for the passage of a route, is near James Ryan's, in the northern part of the town of Charlton, and about three miles north of Charlton centre Meeting-house. It lies between a branch of the French River, and a branch of the Quinebaug, and is elevated 452.41 feet above the Boston and Worcester

Rail-Road, and by the route surveyed, 13.82 miles from it. An uniform grade between the two points would give 32.77 feet per mile. By referring to the accompanying Table, (marked No. 1,) it will be seen how the grades have been established, to conform best with the ground traversed by the line.

In passing north from Ryan's summit, the next depression we have attempted is at Morey's summit, also between the waters of the French River, and those of the Quinebaug, and in the town of Charlton, but near the Spencer line. It is elevated 492.76 feet above the Boston and Worcester Rail-Road, and is 13.31 miles distant from it. An uniform grade to this summit would give 35.51 feet per mile.

It

Grout's summit, in the town of Spencer, is the third. lies about 2 miles south of the village, and between the head of a branch of Cranberry Meadow Brook (a branch of the Chickopee,) and the French River. It is 445.75 feet above the Boston and Worcester Rail-Road; and by the valley of the French River, 13.42 miles distant, the uniform grade would be 32.21 feet per mile. Still further north, beyond the line of levels traced along the summit, and in the town of Rutland, there are two depressions, which were determined in 1835, by running a line from Worcester, to the Ware River, in Barre. One is at Bartlett's, 585 feet above the Boston and Worcester Rail-Road; and the other at Gates's, 608 above the same.

Of these summits, it will be seen by referring to the Map, that Grout's is more nearly in the general direction of the route to Springfield, than either of the others; Morey's next; then Ryan's; and that Bartlett's and Gates's are farthest from it. We will now proceed to the particular description of each route, taking Route No. 1, by Ryan's summit, as a base to which the others may be referred, in the comparisons. Route No. 1, by Ryan's summit, represented on the general Map by a full red line, and on the sheet

of Profiles, marked No. 1.

Commencing at a point about 600 feet east of the freight depot of the Boston and Worcester Rail-Road, the line passes south of J. Goddard's house, thence crossing the Blackstone canal, it passes south of G. Trumbull's, and sweeping

around the foot of Powder-house knoll, upon a curve of 2300 feet radius, it passes over the Springfield road, crossing it south of Braman's house, and thence north of Jacques's house, and barn, it falls upon the point of Goat hill; turning this hill at its northern extremity, with a radius of 2300 feet, upon a curve of 1800 feet in length, it pursues thence a straight line 2.5 miles, through the valley of Beaver Brook, across Tatnick Brook, and west of the village of New-Worcester; thence crossing the Springfield road, and the Hartford turnpike, it curves across the valley of Kettle Brook (or Blackstone River) and falls upon the side hill, near the upper part of Parkhurst's mill-pond. Following this side hill at a grade of 38 feet, the line passes into the town of Ward, and thence conforming to the general direction of the ridge (about south-west) it crosses, at Knowles's mills, a small branch of Kettle Brook, thence, pursuing the course of the side hill, it is thrown out of its proper direction, by a spur of high ground, called Henshaw ridge, which protrudes itself in a south-easterly direction; thence turning nearly west, and winding round this spur, which here forms the dividing ridge between the Blackstone and French Rivers, near L. Stone's house, the line passes into the northeast corner of Oxford North Gore; thence, lowering the grade to 35 feet per mile, and turning gradually to the north-west, to cross the valley of French River, it passes this stream a little below the Clappville lower factory, at which point it enters the south-east part of the town of Leicester; and then running south of the Church in this village, reverts to a south-westerly course, (re-entering Oxford North Gore) and continuing this direction to Station 499, towards Ryan's summit.

To diminish the quantity of filling at the French River upon this line, a second line was carried farther up the valley on the north-east side of the stream, crossing it midway of the factory pond, and, passing north of the Church, it pursues a south-westerly direction, and intersects the first route about one mile south-west of Clappville, the details of which will be found in the Table.

Resuming the first route at Station 499, the line continues to ascend to the summit, at an uniform grade of 35 feet per mile. Before reaching it, however, it is twice thrown out of its proper course-first at Captain Tucker's hill, and

again at the creek, which passes by Charlton North side, into French River. A straight line from Captain Tucker's, to the summit, would pass near the Church at Charlton north side, but to cross the creek above referred to, with an embankment, even of 50 feet, the line must pass at least three fourths of a mile north of the church. In the experimental line, which was surveyed in 1835, in a course more direct from Tucker's hill, to the summit, and passing near the Church referred to, the stream was found to be 60 feet lower than it is at the first crossing place, or something like 100 feet below the grade line of 35 feet. The profile of this line (Map No. 14,) will convey a just idea of the nature of the ground south of our line.

A line was also attempted in 1835, passing north of Captain Tucker's hill, and nearly in a direct course from Clappville towards Morey's summit. But the ground north and west of Captain Tucker's was found to be too high, and the line was abandoned, about half a mile north of said Tucker's house.

As has been stated above, the line, from Clappville to the summit, was traced at an uniform grade of 35 feet to a mile. This involves a cutting of 32.5 feet at the summit, and deep cutting for 2900 feet in length, and this will exceed 27 feet in depth, for a distance of 2500 feet. This excessive cutting suggests the alternative of raising the grade upon both sides of the summit. Accordingly, upon the east side, the grade upon 7200 feet has been raised from 35.01 to 38.88; and on the west side, from 35.29 to 38.57 for a distance of 16,360 feet. As the ground falls off in the direction of the line upon both sides of the deep cut, the effect of raising the grades will evidently be to increase the height of the embankments. The accompanying Tables will exhibit fully, the computations of the quantity of earth to be removed in both cases.

Through the cut from 723 to 756, there are two curves of 1000 feet each; the first of 1041 feet radius, the second of 1432 feet. This combination of steep grade, and the curve of least radius which occurs upon the route, appears here, to be in a great measure unavoidable.

At Ryan's summit, as in most similar situations, where streams flowing in opposite directions rise near each other,. there is a swamp.

This swamp is traversed by the route

about 250 feet. A pole was thrust down 12 feet without reaching the hard bottom.

At Ryan's house, which is on the summit, there is a well about 15 feet-no rock was encountered in digging it. On the southern margin of the ravine and near the route, in digging a well of 18 feet, rock was discovered. The probability is, that in going beyond 20 feet cutting, we should meet rock.

Turning from the summit, at Station 730, down, the line winds around from west to north, upon a curve of 1432 feet radius, and descending at a grade of 35.29, it crosses a branch of the Quinebaug River, flowing south; thence it falls upon the side hill, which, upon the east, bounds the valley of Cranberry Meadow Brook (a branch of the Chickopee River;) thence entering the town of Spencer, it pursues the side hill nearly north, to Watson's Brook, about 5 miles; thence turning gradually to the north-west, it crosses the Springfield road and the Seven mile River; thence turning to the south-west, it crosses the Springfield road a second time near the Spencer and Brookfield line, and terminates at Station 1132 in the road from Brookfield to Sturbridge, about half way between Gallup's mills, and the Furnace village, or East Brookfield; and by the route surveyed 21.43 miles from Station 1, at Worcester.

Route No. 2.

From No. 1 of the first route, a line was also surveyed across Racoon Plain, passing south of Powder-house hill, the Manual Labor School, and New Worcester, and intersecting the first route at Station 198. This line is 900 feet shorter than the first line. But in ascending from Racoon Plain to 198, the grade is 54 feet; and the grading would be expensive.

Route No. 2, and 1, were also connected by a line from Station 60, south of the Manual Labor School, passing on the south slope of Goat hill to No. 147 of No. 1, at the sand knoll west of New Worcester Village, near the direction taken by Mr. Baldwin, in his south route, from Worcester to the Bottomly factory. This line crossed the Springfield road near S. S. Gates's, at a point about 34 feet above the Boston and Worcester Rail-Road, or 12 feet