which that flourishing city owes its existence and prosperity. Nevertheless, the want of a bridge at Albany is becoming annually more imperative, and on the completion of the Hudson River Railroad, and the numerous great lines and tributaries progressing in the West, a bridge will be made across this stream, on some plan which will leave its navigation free. It is perfectly practicable for all the railroads to maintain a high level at Greenbush, and crossing on a suspension bridge, raised entirely above the masts of all the shipping leaving the whole channel clear--land their passengers in the heart of the city, and in a station worthy of the great interests that would be there concentrated. In this case, as at Middletown, the same plan would obviate a considerable portion of the ascending grades, leading up from the river in each direction, and by promoting the common interests of the several roads and the city of Albany, justify a combination of all their strength to effect the object. The cost of such a work would certainly be large, but nevertheless, it must, sooner or later, be encountered. Ques. 26. Would the erection of such a suspension bridge at Wheeling and of such height as is suggested in your answer to the 19th direct interrogatory in case the present bridge can not be permitted to stand as it is, increase or 'decrease the value of property near the several termini of the bridge; and would or would not, such bridge necessarily require the filling up of any of the streets on the east side of the river at Wheeling; and if so, to what extent? Ans. Such a bridge will tend to increase the value of property in its immediate vicinity. The bridge might be continued along the street which leads from it to the hill, on the Wheeling side, by means of a floorway, supported by truss work resting upon columns placed on each side of the street. If the truss work and columns are made of iron, the street will be less obstructed than if they were formed of wood and stone. In either case the space underneath, for most of the distance, will according to my best recollection of the ground, be high and broad enough for loaded vehicles to pass along or across the street. For the remainder of the distance to where the bridge strikes the natural surface of the ground, the street in which the bridge is to be situated will be obstructed by it; and also the cross streets, if any within that distance, will also be obstructed. The floorway which I have supposed to be supported by columns, may be sustained by wire cables, on the suspension plan; and the supporting columns may then be dispensed with. Ques. 27. Do you or do you not consider the present suspension bridge at Wheeling an obstruction to the navigation of the Ohio river at that point; and would or would not the obstructions become, fiom time to time, more serious, with the increase of commerce on that stream, and by the erection of other similar bridges of the same height, at various points over the river? Ans. I consider the present Wheeling bridge an obstruction, to a certain degree, to the passage of steamboats and other vessels on the Ohio river. And this obstruction will increase, should the future wants of the public demand the use of vessels of larger dimensions than those now running upon that river. If many other similar obstructions are erected, along the Ohio river, its navigation will, I think, be seriously injuriously affected. Ques. 28. Have or have not, the wants of the public, of late years, required steam vessels, on the eastern waters, of larger dimensions, and of higher chimneys above the water, than those formerly used; and are they not still continuing to demand boats of increasing dimensions in these respects? Ans. The boats on those waters have been steadily increasing in magnitude, and in the height of their chimneys above the water, for several years. And there is no evidence that they have as yet reached their largest dimensions, or their greatest heights of chimneys. Ques. 29. If a steamboat was required to stop for a time, in order to let down her chimneys in passing under a bridge, would or would not such stoppage and starting again, increase the danger of explosion ? Ans. I think it would. Ques. 30. If a steamboat should arrest her rate of progress, by letting off steam in order to let down her chimneys, so as to pass under the bridge, would this or would it not increase the danger of explosion; as compared with a continuous running of the boat, without such interruption, in going down the river? Ans. It would. Ques. 31. Would you, or would you not, consider the letting down, in whole or in part, of such chimneys as you saw on the Pittsburgh steam packets, in order to pass under a bridge, to be attended with inconvenience, delay, or danger; and would the danger, where the whole chimney was let down, at the hurricane deck, be more or less increased where bituminous coal was used instead of anthracite? Ans. In reply to the first part of the question; I think the letting down of the chimneys, either wholly or in part, would be attended with inconvenience, delay, and danger. In reply to the last part of the question; so far as the greater amount of smoke, from bituminous coal as compared with anthracite, tends to obscure the vision of those who are navigating the vessel, the comparative danger, resulting from the use of bituminous coal, will be greatest. I take it for granted that it would not be prudent to stop the draft of the chimneys entirely, during the process of letting them down and raising them again. Ques. 32. Have you, or have you not, superintended the steamboat ferry from Hoboken to New-York; and if you have, did or did not, the steam ferry boats, at all times during your superintendence, cross the Hudson river, notwithstanding the ice or current; and could or could not the same thing be done, by similar means as regards the crossing the Ohio river at Wheeling? Ans. I performed, for a time, the duties of president and general agent of the company running the Hoboken ferry boats; and owning another boat running to a more distant point from Hoboken. The crossing of the Hudson river, by the ferry boats, was not absolutely interrupted, although embarrassed, during the coldest weather, by the ice in the river. It was necessary, occasionally in the winter, to make a landing, on the New-York side, at a point different from the usual place of landing of those boats. I believe that the Ohio river at Wheeling could be crossed in a somewhat similar manner, by similar means at all times. Cross-examination resumed. Ques. 33. Have you had any experience in the letting down of the steamboat chimneys, or in using fan blowers for bituminous coal? Ans. I have not; but I have been on boats, of small size, where the chimneys were let down. Ques. 34. If you have a copy of your published report relative to the Middletown drawbridge before spoken of, please prodnce it? The witness here produces a pamphlet which he says is a published report. The maps attached to it, the counsel for neither party wishes to have inserted in the record. The report, without the maps, is as follows: NEW-YORK AND BOSTON RAILROAD COMPANY. REPORT Of Edwin F. Johnson, C. E., to the Central Committee. AUGUST, 1847. TO THE PUBLIC. The undersigned submit to the favorable consideration of the public, the subjoined report of EDWIN F. JOHNSON, ESQ., the Engineer employed in the survey of a route for a railway proposed to be constructed by the New-York and Boston Railroad Company, from New Haven through Middletown and Windham, to the cast line of Connecticut. The professional ability of the Engineer, and his high standing in society, are too well known and appreciated to require from the Committee any remarks in detail, in corroboration of his report. They content themselves therefore, with the single observation, that the statements and estimates contained in the report, are founded on data which they believe to be correct, and which, in their opinion, merit the entire confidence of the public. The enterprise, notwithstanding its general popularity, has met with such untiring opposition from the citizens of Hartford, and several existing railroad corporations, as to prove most conclusively the importance of the work, whether considered in reference to its public utility, or in respect to the vast amount of business it is destined to command when constructed. This opposition has, thus far, availed nothing; nor is there reason to believe that it will accomplish any thing in future. The charter granted to the company, though attacked at two several sessions of the General Assembly, with a force and energy altogether unusual, has withstood these assaults and remains entire. Nor is there reason to believe that any further efforts to repeal it, should they be made, will meet with any better success. The public now understand the causes that have prompted this movement, and are evidently disposed to turn a deaf ear to this prolonged and unreasonable controversy. An amendment of the charter, asked for by the friends of the road, and one greatly beneficial to its interests, was granted at the last session of the legislature. By this amendment, the company can be organized and commence operations when the sum of $500,000 shall have been subscribed to its capital stock, in lieu of $2,000,000, which was required by the original charter. This amended provision furnishes decided advantages to the company, not only in view of its early organization, but also in reference to its future operations. About two thirds of the required sum has already been raised in Middletown and its vicinity, beyond which limits no efforts have as yet been made to obtain subscriptions; and from the great public interests involved, we entertain the fullest assurance that the residue will be obtained so as to enable the company to organize without further delay. In conclusion, we beg leave to submit this railroad project to the notice of capitalists, and the public generally, as one eminently worthy of their consideration. As a profitable investment, it offers inducements, it is believed, which rarely occur; and as a work of great public utility, few if any in this country surpass it,-connecting, as it does, by a direct route, two of the largest commercial cities in the union, and passing through a populous and extensive manufacturing region nearly destitute, at the present time, of railroad accommodations. A copy of the charter, which is liberal in its provisions, granted to the company in 1846, together with the amendment thereto, passed in 1847, is appended. SAMUEL RUSSELL, CHARLES WOODWARD, Middletown, Conn. Sept. 1847. E. A. RUSSELL, To Samuel Russell, Ebenezer Jackson, Noah A. Phelps, Charles Woodward, Edward A. Russell, and Charles R. Alsop, Esqrs.. Central Committee of the New-York and Boston Railroad in Connecticut : GENTLEMEN: I herewith submit a statement of the examinations and surveys, made for a line of railway, extending from the city of New Haven eastward, upon a direct route to Boston, terminating, at the east line of Connecticut, and comprising the portion of the route between New-York and Boston, embraced in the charter to the NewYork and Boston Railroad Company in Connecticut. EDWIN F. JOHNSON, Engineer, Middletown, Conn. August, 1847. |