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 1° curve and takes the most direct course over undulating, but otherwise favorable ground, to Pittsfield village. 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. The 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 2o 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 220 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 feet 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 line on a radius of 5730 feet, making the length of this 2d route from North Street to the summit 6.524 miles, 950 feet longer than the 1st. Estimated cost $105,498.11-averaging $16,170.77 per mile-$2,829.23 per mile less than the 1st route. From Richmond summit to the State line, the main line is the only one traced, and is taken as the continuation of either of the preceding routes which have been estimated. Its course is all the way over very broken ground, but to Col. Rowley's tolerably direct. From the latter point, it should be moved north on to higher ground, which will diminish the curvature and bring the grade nearly, if not quite, to an equal descent of 41.68 feet per mile, the maximum being now 55.84 feet per mile. The distance from Richmond summit to the State line is 5.170 miles.-Estimated cost $65,688.29-average per mile, $12,705.66. Finally, the whole estimated cost from Tekoa on the best route, that is by D line, is $957,949.60-average, $19,740 per mile. This is on the supposition, that the Pontoosuc turnpike be shut up between Root's and McElwain's. If it be inexpedient to do this, as it is most probable, an additional sum of $14,722 must be added to the above amount, making $974,671.60, which gives an average of $19,970.32 per mile. Counting from Connecticut river, by D line, the whole distance is 63.104 miles, and estimated cost $1,144,637.16 -averaging $18,138.90 per mile. Seven tenths of the rock cutting on the route is Gneiss, Mica Slate and Sandstone. The two former preponderate throughout the whole route. The latter is chiefly found through Pittsfield, Richmond and Stockbridge. Serpentine, Syenite and Hornblende-slate are found below, at, and above Capt. Root's in Middlefield. Granite at several points: chiefly below Clark's saw mill; and west of Washington, quartz rock, mostly in the form of bowlders. Suitable stone for nearly all the masonry may be taken from the cuts near at hand. The actual cost for foundations will be very small; for all the heaviest bridge masonry will rest in the natural rock or hard gravel, which form, in most cases, the banks and beds of the rivers. APPENDIX, NO. II. Springfield, May 28th, 1837. To CAPT. W. H. SWIFT, ENGINEER OF THE WESTERN RAIL ROAD. DEAR SIR, Having now completed all the surveys, from which there could be the least probability of improving the South Route, from Westfield to New York line, I have selected, with much care, the best possible route. A full statement of the various items of expense, with reference to the Map, and Profile, has been made out. I have traced the route by a blue line, on the map of experimental lines, where it will best serve to show the efforts that have been made, and that no ground has been neglected, where there was the least possibility of success. It was owing to the anxiety, I was aware you felt, to have the investigation most thorough, that I have been longer engaged, than I at first anticipated. I believe it will be admitted that no pains have been spared, to effect this object. My party encountered much severe weather, in February and March, and were obstructed by deep snows, in Becket and Blandford. It was from other obstacles, however, which are every where met with in the mountain, that my task has been rendered difficult. Commencing at a point, on the lot designed for the Hudson Rail Road depot, in West Stockbridge, I proceeded on favorable ground, till near Fueri's Marble quarry, where a ridge of rock obstructs the pass into Stockbridge. This being formed by the southern extremity of the mountain, curves of 1000 feet radius become necessary, and a cutting of considerable extent through the rock. I descended from this summit into Stockbridge village, at a grade of 50 feet per mile, and for the most part by a straight line; which, though involving the necessity of high bridges, and embankments across the valley formed by the Housatonic river, is on the whole, a cheaper line than could be found in any other direction. I did not, in proceeding eastward, |