again, above D. Bigelow's, the highest ground is taken, without running on the mountain side, for the purpose of gaining height at the beginning of the short curve around Rhinoceros point, which is 530, and nearly a semicircle. The grade through this curve, is, in consequence, reduced to 54.77 feet per mile. In like manner, the grade through the next two curves, around and from Walnut hill, is slightly reduced. The length of these curves is one mile-radii 1348.23 and 1432 feet. The two crossings, each 50 feet above the stream, cannot be avoided, but the amount of embankment at Station 1740, and between Stations 1750 and 1762, may be reduced, by moving the 1st curve a few feet to the right.

At Station 1778 commences the steepest grade on the northern route, 82.18 feet per mile on the length of 4.016 miles, terminating at Station 1990, a little way above McElwain's tavern. Although the foot of this grade is 48 feet above the river, yet the latter falls so rapidly from McElwain's, that the grade passes but 2 feet above the sill of his mill dam. It will probably be necessary to lower this dam, or remove it altogether, not for the purpose of materially reducing the grade, for that is impossible on account of its being so little above the bed of the stream from McElwain's to the next crossing below, which crossings cannot be avoided, but to render the bridge secure which crosses the river and dam without raising the grade. The flood marks along here are about 5 feet above ordinary water, as shown upon the profile. The most costly and difficult pass upon this most difficult section of the route is from Middlefield and Becket road, to Clark's saw mill. Two high mountain spurs of solid rock shoot by each other, separated only by the narrow bed of the stream, which winds between, receiving the waters of Cold brook upon the north. Two lines were traced here from Station 1826 to Station 1883, and the maximum curvature adopted was 3°, radii 1910 feet, but the amount of rock cutting (70 feet in depth on both) appears too formidable. The estimate, therefore, has been made upon the lightest part of each, assuming 4° curves and passing the river at a point between the crossing of the two lines. The connection of parts of the two lines is dotted on the map. The passing of this point involves the construction of four bridges, all of which are short, 70 and 90 feet span. The space between Stations 1990 and 2002 presents a favorable stopping place, the only one between

Hubbard's in Chester and the summit in Hinsdale, 9 miles from the former, and 4 from the latter.

After turning nearly a right angle at McElwain's, by a curve of 2292 feet radius, the course is very direct to the highest ground at Sibley's. Through half this distance the ground is very favorable, but the directness of the line involves heavy embankments on the upper half, at and above Crane's. These embankments, however, ought not to weigh much against a direct line, inasmuch as a heavy cut must be made at Sibley's-whether there be embankments to receive the spoils or not. It is proposed to turn the road from Deming's to Crane's, across the meadows, and pass it and the stream under one bridge, or else turn it up the hill to the right, and pass it over the Rail Road.

The latter may be cheaper, as the meadow ground is held exceedingly high. From Station 1677 below Capt. Root's to 2168 west of Sibley's, is, in every respect, the worst part of the whole route. Distance, 9, miles. Estimated cost, $447,708.14. Average per mile, $48,480.88.

From Sibley's the line passes along the west side of Mud pond, and turning to the N. W. through a ravine, passes a point of the hill near Simmons's, which forms the summit of the road, thence into the valley of Hinsdale mill stream, which is one of the head streams of the Housatonic river. The bottom of this valley from 26 mile mark to near Capt. White's, except two gravel knolls, is soft mud, from 1 to 12 feet deep, resting upon hard white gravel. In many places, piling may be required, in all of a mile.

Another line from Mud pond to Capt. White's is proposed and dotted on the Map. It passes over harder and less valuable ground, is more direct, and would have been traced but for the serious difficulty of crossing the N. W. part of Mud pond, the bottom of which is reported to be from 20 to 25 feet of soft mud. This, however, may not balance its apparent superiority in all other respects over the present line. From Capt. White's, the ground is very favorable to Merriman's mills, and the line is most of the way straight.

The line from Watkins's should be thrown a little south, which may be done without any additional cost, and thereby avoid one curve of 4° deflection at the 29 mile mark, and shorten the artificial channels east of that curve which will be required to keep the river the north side of the road.

From Merriman's mill, the rapid descent to the Housa

tonic river cannot be avoided. It may probably be made a little more gradual by an increase of cost and distance by leaving the south mountain a little below the Mill village, following the west branch of the river and crossing it somewhere north of the Dalton churches, thence either north of the Pittsfield road by Merrill's tavern and two patches of wood to Pittsfield village, or else by crossing the road and river near the boundary of Dalton and Pittsfield, join the present line at or near Plunkett's. It would be well, perhaps, to have a line traced in this direction before making a final location.

The deep cut at the boundary line of Dalton and Hinsdale is the only serious obstacle on the present line, which is traced on the generally even surface of the south mountain by T. Benedict's to Station 2638, where it turns from the mountain by a 10 curve and takes the most direct course over undulating, but otherwise favorable ground, to Pittsfield village.

The

Mr. Baldwin suggests the removal of Merriman's mill dam, but this cannot be done without buying his saw-mill and Plunkett's woollen factory, which stands on the opposite side of the road and stream; besides, its removal will not ease the descent, unless the depth of the cut at the boundary line be proportionally increased; and if this be expedient, the grade may be reduced to one uniform descent of 76.38 feet per mile, without disturbing the mill dam. draining of Hinsdale meadows is not of much consequence, as the water in no place ever rises more than 3 feet above the surface. The only other possible mode of graduating this descent, and which seems the most promising, is, to strike a higher point at T. Benedict's, keeping round the mountain farther to the south, and crossing the old Pittsfield road a little south of H. Porter's, thence by a gentle curve across the south point of the meadow, cross the road again near Swain's, keeping the left bank of the Housatonic river to White's mill, where the river must be crossed, and the line continued around south of Pittsfield village, about in Baldwin's track, crossing the Pontoosuc river, and joining the main line of the present approximate location near Stevens' factory. The principal objections to this route are, indirectness and curvature, and the necessity of being from 15 to 25 feet lower between Swain's and the crossing of the Pontoosuc, than at corresponding points of the present line. In fact, there is but one reason for, and many

against either of the changes suggested. The best apparent mode of easing the descent is, to cut at the boundary line of Hinsdale and Dalton deep enough, if funds will permit, to make the grade uniform.

The line crosses North Street in Pittsfield 1000 feet north of the green, passing through F. Allen's barn on the east, and Wellbridge's house on the west side (both of which must be moved,) thence following the side hill, intersects West Street on the point of the hill in front of Mrs. Childe's house. The cutting at North Street is about 14 feet, allowing it to be bridged over the River Road. West Street, at the crossing, may be cut down to a level at small cost, and be much improved by the change. From this point, Mr. Potter continued the location.

The country being so broken from Pittsfield to the Richmond summit, three several lines have been traced-1st. The main line (which is on the map and shaded on the profile) crosses the Pontoosuc river 27 feet above the water, and the valley of North run by a heavy embankment: thence passing south of N. Strong's and C. Goodrich's, crosses the shakers' mill stream twice at an average height of 35 feet above the waters, (both of these crossings require heavy embankments,) thence ascending rapidly, passes the high ground west of Sterns' factory by a long cut of 45 feet greatest depth, from which it enters upon the general summit level, still gently ascending over favorable ground excepting one heavy side hill cut at Station 252, to the highest point at Station 318.

2d. Line A, which crosses the Pontoosuc near Pomeroy's factory, beyond which it turns to the North by a 20 curve, crosses the valley of North run at a favorable point, and by a curve south of 1910 feet radius, joins the main line at Station 100, near C. Goodrich's.

3d. Line B, which begins at Station 70 of A line, and by a 1° curve passes 100 feet north of C. Goodrich's to Station 98-thence by a straight line it crosses the stream at a favorable point and joins the main line at Station 119.

4th. Line C, which begins at 137 main line, crosses the stream at Sterns' factory village, passes the high ground east of the stream by a 30 feet cut, and by a second crossing joins the main line again at Station 180.

5th. Line D, which begins at 112 main line, crosses the stream at a favorable point, and by a 230 curve, takes the direction of Silver Run hollow, from which it passes by a

25 feet cut on to the general summit level, and joins the main line at Station 296, being 950 feet longer than the main line. Taking A line from West Street to Station 70, and the whole of B line to its intersection with the main line, and comparing the line thus formed with the corresponding part of the main line, there seems to be a decided preference for the former, for with the same grades, it requires less cutting and filling east of the Pontoosuc, less filling by one half across North run valley, and gives equal quantities of cutting and filling between this valley and the meeting of the lines at Station 117, which is not the case on the latter-there being nothing in that between the same points but heavy embankments too far distant to be filled from the cut at Sterns' factory. The curvature on the former too, is less than on the latter, having in view the adoption of the main line from Station 117, but the distance is 125 feet longer.

In continuation from 117, the main line is taken to the summit for the 1st estimate, disregarding C line, which requires two bridges and the removal of one house and 3 barns at Sterns' factory, and is therefore deemed less favorable than the opposite part of the main line, although the cutting on it is somewhat less.

The 1st route then, from North Street in Pittsfield to the Richmond summit, is made up from A line, B line, and the main line, the distance being 6.336 miles-maximum grade 45.04 feet per mile, and total cost $120,389.60, averaging $19,000 per mile. By comparison, the ground passed over by D line appears much more favorable than that of the corresponding part of the main line—that is, it gives a much better place for crossing the stream at Station 118, requires less filling between 118 and 136-and less cutting by more. than one half between 146 and 192. Half of the latter distance on the south side of Silver run hollow requires filling, which will be supplied from the cut at the Shaker village road, while the corresponding cut on the main line would be entirely wasted.

The maximum grade on this line is 1.92 fect less than on the main line, and the ground taken over the general summit level much better. Believing therefore, that D line and parts of A and B lines will form the best route from Pittsfield to the summit, a tolerably direct junction has been assumed between B and D lines by the introduction of E