eltoiurn & Jtitoeilk Mmhmi, MACLEOD'S REPORT. THE KEPORT OF THE RECOOTOISSANCE FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE LEBANON BRANCH OF THE LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE EAILKOAD TO THE STATE LINE, IN THE DIRECTION OF KNOXVILLE, TEM. BY GEOKGE JtfACLEOD, ISnjjtnm* e p/P-^3 LOUISVILLE, KY. JOHN P. MORTON & CO., PRINTER! 1861. The undersigned Committee appointed by resolution of General Council of the city of Louisville, approved December 6th, 1861, publish in pamphlet form the Eeport of the reconnoissance for , an extension of the Lebanon Branch of the Louisville & Nashville Eailroad to the State line, in the direction of Knoxville, Tennessee, by Geokge Macleod, the able Engineer under whose control the Louisville & Nashville Eailroad was constructed. His high character as an experienced and practical Engineer entitles his Eeport to public confidence. The citizens of Louisville have felt great in- terest in the construction of a road connecting their city with East Ten- nessee, and giving them railroad communication with the Southern sea- ports, and expect at a more propitious time to aid in making such rail- road connection. JOHN M. DELPH, Mayor. WILLIAM TERRY, V. OVERALL, J. M. ARMSTRONG, Committee. MACLEOD'S REPORT. Louisville, Ky., December 31, 1860. Hon. T. II. Crawford, Mayor of Louisville: Sir: I herewith submit my Report of an examination of the country between Lebanon, Ky., and the Tennessee State line in the direction of Knoxville, Tennessee, made in pursuance of an ordinance of the City Coun- cils of Louisville, passed last November, for the purpose of ascertaining the practicability of constructing, and the approximate cost of, a railroad from the present terminus of the Lebanon Branch of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to the proposed northern terminus of the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad at the State line. The map of the State shows three routes by which this object can be attained. The first route would lead from Lebanon to or near Bradfords- ville, thence over Muldraugh's Hill towards Liberty, the county seat of Casey, thence in the general direction of Somerset, the county seat of Pu- laski, and after crossing the Cumberland River near the mouth of the Big South Fork, it would ascend and follow quite to the State line a high ridge, the " divide " between the main Cumberland River and its south fork. The second route would be common with the first as far as Bradfordsville. From thence it would follow up the south foi*k of the Rolling Fork quite to its source in Muldraugh's Hill in Lincoln country, thence after passing through or near Hustonville it would cross the head-waters of Green River in the direction of Waynesburg, and then follow the course of the "divide" between the drainage of Fishing Creek on the west, and the drain- age of Pitman's and Buck Creeks on the east, through the town of Somer- set, to its junction with the first route in the Cumberland River near the mouth of Pitman's Creek. A modification of a portion of this second route could be made by leaving Lebanon in the direction of the Danville turnpike, and after heading the north fork of the Rolling Fork and leaving Hustonville three or four miles to the south, pass through Blane's Gap, and thence along the ridge to fall into the second route a few miles north of Waynesburg. The third route would follow the course of the Danville turnpike beyond Haysville, thence in an easterly direction to or near Stanford, the county seat of Lincoln; then veering southeast and leaving Crab Orchard and Mount Union to the east, it would cross Rockcastle Run near Line Creek, then, with a southerly course, through Williamsburg to the State line. This third route, whilst it is longest of the three by many miles, has the merit of reaching the State line at the northern terminus of the Knoxville Road, whilst the first and second routes fall upon the line about twelve miles west of said terminus, and would require a change in the location of the Knox- ville Road for a portion of its length to effect a junction with them. With the intention of examining these several routes in succession, I left Lebanon on Tuesday, December 4th, accompanied by Mr. John C. Brod- head, of Nelson county. An inspection of the country between Lebanon T/ tg- ^3 and Bradfordsville showed that the most practicable route in that direction would leave the Lebanon Branch one mile below Lebanon, near Wathen & Miller's pork house, cross Hardin's Creek near Wimsate's, and ascend the ridge between Hardin's Creek and the Eolling Fork, passing near the dwel- ling of W. T. Knott. After pursuing the ridge one and a half miles, the line would descend to the valley of the Rolling Fork at Kelly AbelTs, by Mittingly's on Paunchey Creek — the whole distance being about four miles, with very moderate graduation, good alignment, and grades of about 52 8-10 feet per mile, ascending to and descending from the ridge. From mouth of Mattingly's creek the line would pursue the valley of the Boiling Fork six and a half miles to Bradfordsville, thence up its south fork, nine and a half miles to the mouth of Martin's Creek, generally occupying the river bottoms with very light work, except at a few points on the South Fork — its grades conforming to the fall of the streams — with small bridges across Caney Bun and Pope's creek — one bridge of one hundred and fifty feet span and eighteen feet high over Boiling Fork, and probably three bridges of one hun- dred feet span each and fifteen feet high over the South Fork. At the mouth of Martin's Creek would begin the ascent of Muldraugh's hill, with a grade of about seventy feet per mile. In three miles the summit would be reached. The ridge at the head of Martin's Creek is high, and to pass it a summit one thousand feet in length would probably be required. There would also be expensive graduation for the three miles on Martin's Creek, and for two miles on Bunnel's Creek descending towards Green Biver. I estimate the cost of grading these five miles at one hundred and twenty thousand dol- lars. The remainder of the distance to Green Biver, being two miles along the bottoms of Bunnels' creek and five miles along the bottoms of Brush Creek to its mouth in Green Biver, two and a half miles below the town of Liberty, affords an excellent line in respect to cost, alignments, and grades. The distance from Lebanon to the mouth of Brush creek would be about thirty-two miles. I will here make mention of another route to Green river in the vicinity of Brush creek that promised a very favorable line for twenty miles, but was abandoned on account of difficulties encoun- tered in the last ten miles of it. Instead of following the Boiling Fork to Bradfordsville, the line would cross that stream near the mouth of Med- lock's run, two and a half miles above Mattingly's Creek — ascend Med- lock's run two miles to its source at foot of Muldraugh's Hill, then along base of the " Hill " to Old Lick Creek, a branch of the South Fork. Ascend- ing Old Lick Creek it would pass Muldraugh's Hill by Old Lick Gap, a remarkably low depression in the ridge, which can be overcome at that place with a grade less than seventy feet per mile, and with an open cut of moderate depth. It was through Old Lick Gap that a preliminary survey was made some years ago for a road from Danville to Nashville by way of Glasgow. After passing the ridge, the line would descend a fork of Eobert- son's Creek for two miles, then ascend another branch of the same stream coming in from the southeast, pass over a low summit on to the waters of Casey Creek, and descend a fork of that creek to Danridge Licken's, twenty miles from Lebanon. Thus far the line presented features the most favora- ble. In alignment and grades it was fully equal to the route by Bradfords- ville, whilst in cost it was greatly superior — the crossing of the "Hill" at Old Lick Gap involving an expense not more than one half of that at the head of Martin's Creek, whilst the bridging of the South Fork three times would be avoided. But the country from the head of McLure's Fork of Casey Creek to Green River was found upon examination to be so elevated and also so deeply seamed with other drainage of Casey Creek, running nearly at right angles to our course, that it was deemed impossible to rise to it from Lucker's with our maximum grade, or maintain a line upon it with- out enormous expense. Further examination of the route was consequently abandoned, and we proceeded to carry on the line already brought as far as the mouth of Brush Creek. From this point two routes offered by which the waters of Fishing Creek could be reached. One would pass down Green River to the mouth of its south fork — crossing the river there, it would pass up the South Fork to Turkey Creek, and up Turkey Creek to its source in the Green River Knobs, and thence over on to the drainage of Fishing Creek. The other would pass up Green River, through Liberty, and thence by Doe Creek and Knob Lick Creek over to Rock Lick Creek of Fishing Creek. The latter route was selected for examination. Upon it the line would ascend Green River on its north side two and a half miles to Liberty, thence four miles further on same side, crossing the river near the mouth of Doe Creek by a bridge one hundred and fifty feet long and eighteen feet high, thence up the valley of Doe Creek four miles to its head, then passing through a low gap on to Knob Lick one mile further to the mouth of Hat- ter's Branch. In this distance, eleven and a half miles, is obtained a line perfect in alignment, grades, and cost. It would consist of long reaches of straight line, connected by curves of large radii, with grades conforming to the fall of the streams, and at a cost for grading and bridging of about four thousand three hundred dollars per mile. From the mouth of Hatter's Branch the line would follow up Knob Lick Creek five miles to its head at the widow Humphrey's on the " divide " between the waters of Green River and those of the Cumberland, thence down Rock Lick eight miles to its mouth in Fishing Creek, thence following down the latter stream four miles to the mouth of Big Clifty, a branch of Fishing Creek coming in from the northeast. From the mouth of Big Clifty the line would still follow the course of Fishing Creek, but gradually ascend its hill-sides with a grade of thirty or thirty-five feet per mile for three miles, till it rose upon the table land, when it would cross in three and a half miles over to the bluffs of the Cumberland River, below Waite's Landing. From thence it would ascend the river for two and a half miles to the mouth of the Big South Fork, occupying the face of the bluffs above high water, and crossing in that dis- tance the mouth of Pitman's Creek by a bridge one hundred feet long and eighty feet high. In this distance, twenty-three miles, from the mouth of Hat- ter's Branch to the Big South Fork, will be found work of a heavier char- acter than has heretofore been encountered. The crossing of the "divide" at Widow Humphrey's will give six and a quarter miles of line, estimated at one hundred and seventy thousand dollars. The ridge is high and broad, and will probably require a tunnel of twelve hundred or fifteen hundred feet in length. Much heavy grading will also be found on both sides of the ridge in rising to and falling from it. The grading and bridging on Rock Lick has been estimated at eight thousand dollars per mile, whilst the same items on Fishing Creek have been placed at twelve hundred dollars per mile. These streams are very tortuous, with bold rocky cliffs and high points ex- tending into their valleys, and will require frequent crossings by bridges. From Fishing Creek to the Big South Fork the grading would not be heavy, but a large expenditure will be required for the Pitman's Creek Bridge, By extending its span to one hundred feet the masonry item can be greatly reduced, but in that case even the structure will cost seventeen thousand dol- lars or twenty thousand dollars. Within one hundred feet of the mouth of the Big South Fork the line would cross the main Cumberland on a bridge five hundred feet long and seventy -five feet high. The river here affords a fine site for a bridge, possessing a firm rock bottom, fordable at low water, and with a high rock bluff on its north side, by means of which an abut- ment, Avith the exception of masonry, sufficient for the bridge seat can be dispensed with. I estimate this structure, built in the style of the Bar- ren River Bridge, at Bowling-green, at seventy thousand dollars. From the crossing of the Cumberland River the line would ascend in one and a half miles along the bluffs of the South Fork, with a grade, probably, of seventy feet per mile, to the plateau. Immediately above that stream, and after occupying this trench of land for a few miles, with undulating grades and much curvature, for the purpose of overcoming its inequalities, and avoiding the knobs that infest it, would make the ascent of the main ridge in five miles, to Hiten's, a point about ten miles from the mouthof the Big South Fork. The grade in this ascent would be about sixty feet, or possi- bly as much as seventy feet per mile. From Hiten's the line would follow the crest of the ridge for twenty-three miles, till it entered Tennessee in Scott county. I estimate the cost of the graduation for the thirty-three miles south of the Cumberland River at three hundred and five thousand dol- lars, being about nine thousand three hundred dollars per mile. There will be no bridging in this distance, and but little masonry beyond ordinary by culverts and open drains, and yet the estimated cost per mile above stated, high as it may appear, cannot be .maintained without resorting frequently to high undulating grades and to curves with radii of eight hundred or nine hundred feet. The ridge for a long distance south of Hiten's is narrow, winding, and broken by the drainage of the South Fork and the main Cum- berland. The sources of Beaver and Indian. Creeks on the east, and Coop- er's Run on the west, interlock and occasion a tortuous and expensive line for many miles. The entire distance from Lebanon to the Tennessee State line, upon the route above described, has been placed at one hundred and two and a half miles. Without claiming for this estimate perfect accuracy, I feel confi- dent it will not be found to vary from the actual distance, ascertained from a survey, by more than two or three miles, and there is greater probability of its falling within the true than of exceeding it. The following is an estimate of the cost of the line, based upon a careful comparison with the value of work of similar character on the Louisville and Nashville Rail- road and its branches: One hundred and two and a half miles of grading, bridging, and masonry at $10,000 per mile ......$1,025,000 One hundred and ten miles of railway superstructure on main track and sidings at $8,300 913,000 Engineering and superintendence 100,000 Motive power and rolling stock 300,000 Depots, water stations, and engine houses 50,000 Land damages 30,000 Office expenses, salaries, &c 50,000 One hundred and two and half miles at $24,000 per mile $2,468,000 The estimates for motive power, rolling stock, depots, &c, are considered sufficient in view of the line being merely an extension of the Lebanon branch of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and that it will be worked in connection with that branch. No large or expensive structures will be required along the line, whilst expenditures at Knoxville for these purposes can be made in connection with roads departing from that place. The esti- mate for railway superstructure is derived from the following items of cost ; Fifty-eight tons rail bars, at $60 00 per ton $5,100 Joint fastenings and spikes 560 Two thousand six hundred cross-ties, at 25 cents each 650 Ballasting 1,300 Track-laying and repairs, for six months 700 $8,300 The country along the route affords a fine chance for obtaining cross-ties at the stated price, whilst abundance of grant for ballasting can be procured along the whole route. The second route will be common Avith the first twenty miles to the mouth of Martin's Creek. At that point they diverge, and the second takes its way up the valley of the south fork of the Rolling Fork, ten miles to its source, in Muldraugh's Hill. For seven miles of this distance the line would occupy the bottoms of the streams, occasionally cutting hard into projecting points from the adjacent hills, with occasional bridging of the stream. It will then begin the ascent of the " Hill" through NeeLy's Gap, which can be overcome with a grade of fifty feet per mile and a tunnel five hundred feet long. After passing the "Hill" it will descend to Hustonville by a branch of the Hanging Fork of Dick's River in three miles. The crossing of Muldraugh's Hill upon this route is much more favorable than by Martin's Creek, as well in respect to grades as cost. The approach to the summit on both sides is upon very favorable ground, and will not materially exceed in cost any other portion of the route. I estimate the cost of grading and bridging from Martin's Creek to Hustonville at seven thousand five hundred dollar* per mile. From Hustonville the line would follow down the drainage of the Hanging Fork for two and a half miles, and ascend another branch of the same stream two and a half miles to the " divide " between the waters of Dick's River and Green River at McKinney's Station. The "divide" here is very low, and the approach to it on both sides very gradual, requiring low grades and moderate work. The cost of grading these five miles would not exceed twenty thousand dollars, but as it may be found necessary to bridge the streams at a few points, I estimate the cost of preparing the line for the superstructure at six thousand dollars per mile. A modification of the line between Hustonville to McKinney Station can be made, and the distance reduced to four miles at the same increase in the cost of construction and with the breaking up of the grades. It is worthy of examination should a survey be ordered. From McKinney's Station the line would descend Mc- Kinney's Branch to Green River — here an insignificant stream — crossing Green River on a bridge fifty feet long and eight or ten feet high, it would follow along its bottoms to Flint's mill, four miles from McKinney's, thence by the Little South Fork in four miles to the ridge north of Waynesburg and thence due south through Waynesburg and Somerset, along the " divide " between the waters of Buck Creek and Pitman's Creek on the east, and Fish- 8 ing Creek on the west, to its intersection with the first route on the Cumber- land River, near Waite's Landing. I estimate the cost of the eleven miles from McKinney's to Waynesburg at four thousand five hundred dollars per mile; of the seventeen miles from Waynesburg to Somerset at five thousand dollars per mile ; and of the seven miles from Somerset to the mouth of the Big South Fork at eight thousand four hundred dollars per mile. The esti- mated distance from Lebanon to the Tennessee State line on this route is one hundred and six miles, with the following estimate of cost : One hundred and six miles of grading, bridging, and masonry, at $7,500 per mile . . . $795,000 One hundred and thirteen and a half miles of railway superstructure on main track and sidings, at $8,500 964,750 Engineering and superintendence 100,000 Motive power and rolling stock 3')0,000 Depots, water stations, and engine houses 50,000 Land damages « 50,000 Office expenses and salaries .' 50,000 One hundred and six miles, at $21,790 per mile $2,309,750 It will be observed that the items of railway superstructure and land damages have a higher estimate on the second route than upon the first. This arises from the fact that the second route passes over some twenty-five miles of country entirely devoid of gravel or stone suitable for ballasting, whilst it must be expected that large damages will be demanded for eighteen miles of the line on the south fork of Rolling Fork, and on the hanging fork of Dick's River. The bottoms of these streams are narrow and the lands valua- ble, whilst from Muldraugb's Hill quite to the State line on the first route it is likely that releases can be obtained except for a few miles on Fishing Creek. The second route possesses advantages over the first route in the following particulars : It is cheaper by one hundred and fifty-eight thousand two hun- dred and fifty dollars. Its maximum grade from Lebanon to the Cumber- land River is twenty-five feet per mile less. For twenty-five miles of its distance it passes over a greatly superior agricultural country than is found upon the first route beyond Muldraugh's Hill, and it also commands the trade of a large region of equally fine country that would otherwise go towards Lexington and Cincinnati. In connection with this second route I examined a cross line from Somerset to Williamsburg, with a view to fall- ing upon the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad at its northern terminus on the State line, in case that Company should find it impracticable to meet the first and second routes at their termini on the State line twelve miles further west. This cross line would encounter Pitman's Creek, Buck Creek, Rock- castle River, and Laurel River. The two latter particularly difficult to manage from their close proximity and the high ridge between them. The line however is well worthy of an instrumental examination, as it may be practica- ble to strike the Cumberland River just below the mouth of Rockcastle and pursue the former stream east of the mouth of Laurel. In this way the high ridge between the Laurel and Rockcastle would be turned. In a com- parison of cost with the second route south of Somerset, it would present a fair exhibit. The item of graduation per mile would be less than upon the second route south of the Cumberland, whilst the expense of bridging Pit- man, Buck Creek, Rockcastle, and Laurel, would be to some extent bal- anced by the reduced cost of a bridge over the Cumberland at Williamsburg and by dispensing with the bridge at the mouth of Pitman's Creek. This 9 cross line will have the merit of passing within a very short distance of the coal banks on the Cumberland River. The serious objection to it is the greatly increased distance it will give from Lebanon to the State line — one hundred and twenty-four miles — an objection sufficient to defeat its adop- tion, unless it be found utterly impracticable to connect the first and second routes with the Knoxville road within the State of Tennesseee. I was relieved from the necessity of examining the third route mentioned in this report, by finding in the possession of the officers of the Knoxville Railroad Company, at Knoxville, the profile of a line upon this route, made by Col. M. B. Prichard, in the year 1853. The examination extended to Louisville, from the terminus of the Knoxville road at the State line south of Waynesburg. The Knoxville and Kentucky road, as located, passes through the Cumberland Mountains, by a noted gap, called Wheeler's, Walker's, or Elk Gap. It is a remarkable depression in the mountain, cut- ting it nearly asunder, and affording a passage through it upon low grades and at moderate cost. The Knoxville Road, as I was informed, ascends to this gap with a grade of thirty-five feet per mile. After passing the gap, the line follows the side of Pine Mountain to the valley of Elk Fork to its mouth in Clear Fo-rk, then down Clear Fork to the State line, sixty-three miles from Knoxville. Col. Prichard's survey takes up the line at this point and follows the valley of the Clear Fork to the Cumberland River, near Williamsburg. Crossing the Cumberland by a bridge fifty-five feet high, the line ascends Blake's Fork to the summit at its head, then passes over to Spruce Creek, and descends that stream to Laurel River, which it crosses by a bridge one hundred and fifty feet long and seventy-five feet high. From Laurel River the line follows Rogers's or Mill Creek to the summit at its source; then, after crossing Indian Camp Branch, White-Oak Creek, and other drainage of Rockcastle River, it reaches that stream near the mouth of Line Creek. At this point the profile shows a crossing of Rockcastle two hundred and fifty feet long and ninety feet high, with a tunnel between Rockcastle River and Line Creek nineteen hundred feet long. The line then ascends Line Creek to a summit at its source, and after crossing the country drained by the head waters of Buck Creek, it passes over to the drainage of Dick's River, crossing Stanford Branch, the Hanging Fork, and Clarke's Run, to Danville. The profile shows work of unfavorable character from the State line to the commencement of the descent towards Rockcastle River. The fall from the level of the Flab Woods country to the river was found by Col. Prich- ard to be three hundred and fifty feet, and could only be overcome by very heavy work along the precipitous cliffs of its tributaries: Expensive work is also required north of Rockcastle River for some distance towards Dan- ville. The distance from the State line to Danville, upon this Route, is stated to be ninety-five miles, with maximum grades of sixty feet per mile. Assuming this distance to be correct, and that a line to Lebanon by this route would pass six miles south of Danville, we should have for the entire distance from Lebanon to the Tennessee State line about one hundred and twenty miles. Col. Prichard's estimate of the cost of his line is stated to be two million six hundred thousand dollars. Add to this estimate twenty- five miles from the vicinity of Danville to Lebanon, at twenty-two thousand 10 dollars per mile, and we have for the cost of a line upon this route the sura of three million one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This line, though longer and more expensive than either of the 'two heretofore described, possesses advantages that should not be overlooked. Its course through the rich counties of Boyle and Lincoln will draw a large local trade and travel over it, and also over the Lebanon Branch and thirty miles of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, adding largely to the receipts of those roads. It is not unreasonable, also, to look for a large subscription from those counties, and also from Rockcastle and Whitly, towards its construction. Tlie two lasj; named counties may not be able to contribute so largely as Boyle and Lincoln, yet the signal advantages they will derive from our improvement passing through them and terminating upon the Ohio River will doubtless draw a liberal subscription from each. Upon the route passing through Casey and Pulaski counties, I believe that fifty thousand dollars of subscrip- tion could be obtained from the former and its citizens, and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars from the latter and its citizens, and ma)' we not look for at least double these subscriptions, or six hundred thousand dollars from the four counties of Boyle, Lincoln, Rockcastle, and Whitly. It is to be understood that the estimates given above only cover the cash cost of construction upon the several routes. Interest upon temporary loans, upon county subscriptions, or mortgage bonds, and discounts upon the sale of securities, do not enter into the estimates. It is also presumed that the work of construction, once commenced, will be prosecuted without serious detention, and be completed within a reasonable time — say three years. The examination of the country for the purpose of fixing the final location upon the most eligible route will require a careful and elaborate instrumental survey, and ample, time with a liberal expenditure of money should be de- voted to these preliminary operations, too often hurriedly executed, to the sei'ious and permanent injury of public improvements. As two of the routes depend upon the practicability of connecting their three southern termini with the Knoxville road, by an alteration in the location of that road on its last twenty or thirty miles; it will save much time and mone}' to ascertain if such alteration can be made, before any examinations shall be instituted in Kentucky. Should it be found impracticable to make such a change in the location of the Knoxville road as will bring it in connection at the State line with the termini of the first and second routes, it will lead to the re- jection of the former and so much of the latter as extends south of Somerset, without an instrumental examination of either of them, and will confine the surveys to the third route and the second, in connection with the cross route from Somerset to Williamsburg. In behalf of the Directors of the Knoxville Road, I am authorized to state that they will cordially unite with Louisville in establishing a connection between the two cities upon the most eligible route, and if it be found necessary to change the location of their road north of Coal Run, to secure that object they will promptly accede to such change, provided the same can be effected without unreasonable expense; The efforts of the Knoxville Company are for the present directed to extend- ing their road to Coal Run, in Campbell county, thirty and a half miles north of Knoxville. In the bluffs of this stream are first encountered those immense deposits of coal that extend northward as far as the mouth of Rockcastle River. By this time the track has been laid to Beaver Creek, ten miles from Knoxville, and in one year more the graduation will have 11 been completed and the track extended to and across Clinch River, near Clinton. Within the same period, also, it is expected the remaining ten and a half miles to Coal Run will be ready for the rails, and the track immediately pushed on to that stream. There they will pause until they perceive some sure prospect of securing a connection with Louisville or Cincinnati by way of Danville or Lebanon. It is as an important link in the chain of improvements between Louisville and the seaboard, between Norfolk and Charleston, and in opening up to j'our city the trade of East Tennessee, that a connection with Knoxville invites your serious attention. In respect to local trade and travel, it will not compare favorably with the Nashville Road. For two-thirds of its length it will traverse a country rich indeed in mineral wealth but thinly populated and incapable, from its ster- ile soil and broken surface, of yielding agricultural products beyond its home consumption. Its coal, superior as its quality may be, cannot enter into competition at Louisville with the lower-priced article brought here by the Ohio, and will only supply the local demand as far north as Danville and Lebanon ; whilst he is indeed visionary who seriously calculates upon iron derived from its ore, though rich and abundant, forming an important article of transportation to the valley of the Ohio within any reasonable period of time. East Tennessee drawe its supplies of groceries from New Orleans by way of the Cumberland River to Nashville and thence bj rail over the Chattanooga and East Tennessee and Georgia Raihoads,fwhilst its manufactured articles come from Pittsburg, Cincinnati, and Louisville by the same route. A connection by rail from Louisville to Knoxville would doubtless draw the whole of this trade to itself, and would encounter no competitor unless by the construction of a road from Cincinnati through Danville. In connection with other roads now in progress, it will offer the shortest route to Charleston and Wilmington, and by means of the East Tennessee and Virginia Road it greatly reduces the distance to Norfolk. With Dalton and Atlanta, Georgia, the route through Knoxville compares favorably with that by your Nashville Road, through Nashville, and in the event of such a contingency again arising as was the case last season, it will render efficient aid in carrying off the surplus of freights that may concentrate in your city. I append a few tables of distances from Louis- ville to prominent points, via Knoxville, Nashville, and the Cumberland Gap. In connection with the system of surveys above described, I would recom- mend that they be extended to the Cumberland Gap, and the cost of a route through that noted pass in the Cumberland Mountains be ascertained. Should the route in the direction to Danville and Stanford be selected, the extension of that line to the Cumberland Gap would be but fifteen or twenty miles longer than to the State line at the terminus of the Knoxville road. From the Cumberland Gap to Bristol, situated on the line from Knoxville to Richmond, a road is in course of construction, the distance being ninety-five miles. By this route Louisville would be nearer to Norfolk and Wilming- ton, by one hundred and four miles. This whole matter of a connection with the seaboard is one of exceeding interest to your city, and demands a full investigation and a careful comparison of the merits of the two routes before a decision in favor of either is determined upon. I close my report with an acknowledgment of the very efficient aid ren- dered me during the exploration by Mr. John C. Brodhead, of Nelson county. To his sound judgment and experience in matters pertaining to the selection 12 of a railroad route I am greatly indebted. I take this occasion also of return- ing my thanks to the following gentlemen, for their friendly aid as guides : Messrs. B. Spalding and W. S Knott of Lebanon ; Messrs. McElroy and Grundy of Marion connty; Mr. E. White of Brush Creek, and Mr. Geo. Sweeney of Liberty, Casey county; Esquire Waite and Judge Fitzpatrick of Pulaski. To Messrs. Powell and Swan of Knoxville, and to Col. C. A. Mee, Chief Engineer of the Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad, I am in- debted for important information in relation to that work. Respectfully submitted, GEORGE MACLEOD. TABLE OF COMPARATIVE DISTANCES. FROM LOUISVILLE TO CHARLESTON VIA NASHVILLE. Louisville to Nashville 185 miles. Nashville to Chattanooga 51 do Chattanooga to Atlanta 138 do Atlanta to Augusta " 171 do Augusta to Columbia 143 do Columbia to Charleston 130 do 918 do FROM LOUISVILLE TO CHARLESTON VIA KK0XV1LLE AND CHATTANOOGA. Louisville to Knoxville (long route; 255 miles. Knoxville to Chattanooga 110 do Chattanooga to Atlanta ■• 138 do Atlanta to Charleston - 444 do 947 do LOUISVILLE TO CHARLESTON VIA KNOXVILLE AND BLUE RIDGE -RArLROAD. Louisville to Knoxville (long route) .'255 miles. Knoxville to Anderson - 195 do Anderson to Columbia 127 do Columbia to Charleston 130 do 1 707 do LOUISVILLE TO CHARLESTON VIA CUMBERLAND GAP. Louisville to Cumberland Gap 210 miles. Cumberland Cap to Asheville 138 do Asheville to Columbia - 167 do Columbia to Charleston 130 do 645 do LOUISVILLE TO NORTOLK VIA -CUMBERLAND GAP. Louisville to Cumberland Gap 210 miles. Cumberland Gap to Bristol 95 do Bristol to Lynchburg . - - 204 do Lynchburg to Petersburg 123 do Petersburg to Norfolk - 80 do 712 do LOUISVILLE TO WILMINGTON VIA CUMBERLAND GAP. Louisville to Cumberland Gap 210 miles. Cumberland Gap to Asheville 138 do Asheville to Wilmington 330 do 678 do