a distance of three-fourths of a mile, and is much like the Mississippi swamp: it will require a bank from ten to eighteen feet high to bring the road above high water. The line is continued eastward to the D'Arbonne side of the ridge, towards Farmersville, the county seat of Union parish, which place we leave one mile and a half to the left by the actual line, and three and a half by the projected line, and, continuing on the D'Arbonne side of the ridge, pass near a place called Spearsville, six miles be yond which we cross the State line into Arkansas, 42 miles from the Washita, and thence continue twenty miles further, in a general northwest course, to Darden's, on the road from El Dorado to Springhill, and near the dividing ridge between the Smacovert and D'Arbonne before described. If, instead of crossing the Loutre, we had continued up the ridge between that stream and the Washita to El Dorado, and thence turned westward, the two lines would have joined at Darden's, the distance being about the same. We found the country, after crossing the Loutre, very hilly, with abundance of rock, until after passing Farmersville. Beyond Farmersville it has still a very irregular surface, and we lose sight of the rock until we approach Spearsville. Near the Arkansas line there is much sand, the roads in some places being deep with it. It is not, however, difficult to accommodate a good line to the country with reasonable curvature and grades of fifty feet to the mile. From Darden's we continue westward on the ridge before mentioned (said to be the Quapaw trail) to Colonel Bucknor's, at Beechland post office. Here another choice of routes presents itself, and we may incline northerly towards Springhill, lying ten miles east of Fulton, and, crossing the Bois d'Arc, Bodcom, and Dorcheat rivers near their sources, reach Fulton by that route in a distance of 58 miles, or we may continue westward on the same ridge ten miles further, and thence, inclining to the south, pass into the valley of the Dorcheat, and following down the slope of one of its branches, called Big Creek, cross the Dorcheat just below the junction, 26 miles from Beechland; thence, following up the opposite slope of the Dorcheat, and the ridge between it and the Bodcom, descend obliquely the Bodcom slope, and cross that stream three miles south of Lewisville, the county seat of Lafayette county; thence, following up the slope of its valley and that of the Little Bodcom, its tributary, to the source of the latter, pass into the valley of the Bois d'Arc, and, crossing that stream, reach the table bordering the Red river, on which we keep to its edge back of Fulton; then, descending, reach the Red river at Fulton, with a distance from the Dorcheat crossing of 403 miles, and from Beechland of 67 miles, or 9 miles further than by the other route. The line, however, was run over the latter route, as it enabled us to examine the ground with reference to a nearer terminus on the Red river than Fulton, The country from Darden's towards Fulton, on the ridge between the D'Arbonne and Smacovert, is high and undulating, but presenting no obstacle to cheap and safe construction. To pass into the valley of the Dorcheat, we have to surmount a summit requiring 20 feet cutting, from which there is nothing unusual to the place of crossing. This will require a bridge of 100 feet span, with abutments 25 feet high, and beyond it a bank a mile and a half long and about 9 feet high. From this we attain the ridge between Dorcheat and Bodcom by easy slopes, and, while on the ridge, have a level plain; thence, descending to the Bodcom along the slope, we find sinuosities requiring curvatures. The soil between the two streams is sand, clay, and gravel, easily excavated, but no rock. I saw gravel here in which the pebbles were as large as eggs, and many of the streams ran over fine white sand. The Bodcom must be crossed by a bridge of 100 feet span, with abutments 35 feet high, and there will be about a mile of bottom land requiring embankment. Beyond this, along the slope of the Bodcom valley and that of its tributary, the Little Bodcom, and through the dividing ridge into the valley of the Bois d'Arc, 17 miles, the gravel is quite irregular, and large quantities of rock appear in the hills-the first met since entering the State. We cross the Bois d'Arc by a 100-feet bridge and 30-feet abutments, with a mile of embankment on its eastern side. Beyond the Bois d'Arc we rise at once to the table land of the Red river, on which nothing but alow embankment will be required. From this table, within half a mile of Fulton, we descend on the slope obliquely, with a 50-feet grade, to the level land lying just above high water, and on which the town of Fulton is built. On this we may find ample depot accommodations. To cross the Red river would require a bridge 800 feet long, with a draw, with piers 35 feet high, and placed on. piled and platform foundations. From the crossing of the Dorcheat we might have reached the Red river at a point nearer by 20 miles than Fulton, although nearly as far west as that place. For this we would have continued nearly due west from the Dorcheat, crossing the Bodcom at a lower point of its course than the present, and passing below the mouth of the Bois d'Arc, to Conway, 30 miles south of Fulton in a straight line, and 60 by the course of the Red river. As this route runs directly across the ridges, it is probable that it would cost more per mile to contract than by our present line: still, as it is but half as long, there will be a material saving of first cost, with the advantage of a diminution of no less than 20 miles in the whole length of the road. As a line of levels was carried from the Mississippi to the Red river at Fulton, it may be well to give the relative heights of those streams, as well as the Washita-not that it is of consequence as regards the location of a road, but as it may be of some general interest. From the Mississippi, at Lake Providence, a straight line to our crossing place over the Washita is 53 miles in length, but inclines a little down stream, or to the south, viz: 63 miles. The highest water of the Mississippi is 3 feet higher than the highest ground of the village of Lake Providence, immediately within the levee.. This latter may be called the natural bank of the Mississippi river; for one-fourth of a mile back of this it is five feet lower, and the swamp begins. The east bank of the Washita, is 20 feet lower than this, and the highest water of the Washita 5 feet lower still, or 28 feet lower than the highest water of the Mississippi at Lake Providence. The lowest water of the Mississippi could not be ascertained with precision, but that which we found by inquiry to be the lowest was of a foot higher than that of the high water of the Washita, or 41 feet higher than the low water of the Washita.. The low-water mark of the Washita at Collier's point is 190 feet lower than the low-water mark of the Red river at Fulton. The distance from one place to the other in a direct line is 117 miles, but, measured on the map from Fulton down the Red river to the mouth of Black river, (a pro longation of the Washita,) is 431 miles; and from the mouth of Black river up the Washita to Collier's point, 187 miles. Now, if the declivity of the Red river and Washita be the same, this will indicate a fall in both these streams of 94 inches per mile. There is, however, reason to believe that the declivity of the Washita is much less than this; for the current is quite sluggish, and freshets do not swell the river at a rate of more than a foot a day. It is, moreover, asserted that, in 1844, the rise in the Mississippi produced slack water in the Washita at Collier's point. This would indicate a very gentle declivity; and Dr. Collier considers that the declivity is not greater than 45 feet between Collier's point and the debouche of the Washita into the Red river-a distance by the river of 187 miles. If we assume the declivity at 24 inches to the mile, it will give 39 feet fall, and a declivity to the Red river of 6 inches to the mile. 88 It was stated that the high water of the Mississippi at Lake Providence was determined to be 28 feet above the high water of the Washita at Collier's point. From Lake Providence down the Mississippi to the mouth of Red river is 240 miles; and from Collier's point down the Washita to the same point is 209 miles. The Mississippi is said to have a declivity of 2 inches per mile, but in freshets it must be more-say 21. This would give the descent of the surface of the river from Lake Providence to the Red river 50 feet. At this period, in 1844, it is said, there was slack water at Collier's point. If by the term "slack water," as popularly used, is meant a gentle current, it would be such as would be due to a fall in the Washita of 50-287-21% feet, or 255 inches, in a distance of 209 miles, or 1 inch to the mile. Taking, then, the declivity of the Washita to be 1 inch per mile, we find the declivity of the Red river to be 5 inches per mile. The minimum limit of the declivity of the Red river is 5 inches per mile, and this is obtained by assuming a level for the bed of the Washita. As I mentioned before, these specula tions have no bearing on our work, but may subserve other important in terests. 82 100 100 Having now given the topography of the country through which the line passes, with incidental remarks bearing on the construction, but little more will be necessary. The rock that we saw was universally a sandy, ferruginous material, or a conglomerate united by a ferruginous paste. It is fit for small constructions, and for backing. I have seen it applied for foundations, and for chimneys; and, in these cases, it had come from the quarry in good shape and size, and bore the weather well. The absence of heavy frost is, of course, a favorable circumstance. The character of the soil for excavation, judged not only by surface indications and the escarpment of streams, but also by wells, shows that it is mostly of easy excavation, and none beyond the medium. It is generally of sand or clay. The sides of the wells are in most cases left without curbing, and stand well. They are from twenty to forty feet deep, and the water stratum generally sand. In the vicinity of the line, for nearly its whole extent, soil may be found proper for bricks, as well as fuel for burning them; and this ma terial may be used extensively. Lime is made some twenty miles north of Fulton, and is furnished at that place at twenty-five cents per bushel. Rosendale cement is now brought to Fulton, and sold there at $3 per barrel. If large quantities were required, it could be imported for less, or the cement obtained from a nearer place, viz: Louisville, Ky., where it is made of excellent quality. Timber abounds (the whole line having been run through forest) of all varieties suitable for use on public works. I have seen oaks in their several varieties, i. e. white, black, red, post, pin, chinquopin, water, burr, and over-cup; yellow and pitch pine, red cedar, (in the Red River bottom,) yellow and honey locust, beech, (cast of the Dorcheat,) cypress, black mulberry, black walnut, white and black ash, sycamore, hickory, pecan, chinquopin, sweet and black gum, elm, and sassafras-the last proving very large. The bois d'are, also, is a hard, yellow wood, useful for wedges, keys, handles, &c. There is no chestnut, the chinquopin (a smaller variety) being the substitute; nor is there white pine, hemlock, spruce, or larch. Through the woods, pine and oak, in their several varieties, are the most common. The streams to be crossed, other than those specified, are such as not to require large works to pass the water. I have estimated for about forty arch culverts of various spans, from six to twenty feet; and these, with the bridges through the swamp not before mentioned, sixteen in num ber, with abutments from ten to eighteen feet high, constitute all the large constructions in masonry: the rest are in the form of box culverts or brick barrels. The system which throws the location on the ridges causes the streams to be crossed near their sources, and saves the necessity for heavy constructions in masonry. Good foundations, too, for masonry, may be had by the use of platforms to distribute the weight, and, in some few instances, by the use of piles. The supply of fuel for engines is nearly exhaustless; but for water, there will be many instances where pumping must be resorted to, as in those cases no springs or streams, with sufficient head, can be found. This is, of course, the case wherever the line lies on the crests of the ridges. It is not easy, at all times, to bring to the work those supplies and materials for construction not produced in the vicinity; but at certain seasons, when the waters are up, no point of the line is very distant from some place which may be reached by water. By taking good advantage of this circumstance, and by completing such portions of the road in the beginning as will facilitate transportation to other portions, the supplies may be tolerably well regulated. I present below the results of a detailed estimate for a railroad, with a single track and the necessary turn-outs. It is given in divisions, which are made at the points where we would diverge from the present line to traverse other routes which have been indicated in this report. |