| Annual Report of the Richmond & York
River RR |
| as of October 1, 1861, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Engineer and Superintendent's Report |
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| Office of Engineer and Superintendent |
| R. & Y. R. R. R., October 1, 1861 |
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To the President and Directors
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Richmond & York River Railroad
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The annual report from this office is
confined entirely to the operations incident to the completion, its
present condition and necessities of the road.
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As to the operations in the transportation department, receipts,
disbursements, &c., you are referred to the report of the Treasurer, which
is believed to compare favorably with that of the preceding year.
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Completion of Road to West Point
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At the date of the last report, the 38th section,
together with the wharf at the Eastern terminus, remained unfinished,
although the road had been in operation to West Point over a temporary
track since the 1st day of August.
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The 1st day of January found the work still unfinished,
when the contract was abandoned, and it was carried on to completion
by the Company at a cost much below the contractor's prices. The wharf
is built in the most substantial manner of superior materials and
capable of sustaining the heaviest locomotives.
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On the 29th day of March last, the Company's steamer West
Point made her first connection with the trains at the proper terminus
of the road.
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From this date the through working of the road may be
considered to commence, having been heretofore restricted to a very
light freight business, owing to the difficulty in the way of
transhipment at West Point.
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Condition of Road-bed, Road repairs, &c.
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During the year a very considerable portion of the
road-bed has been improved, by being partially ballasted with sand and
gravel, and I would recommend a thorough improvement of the road in
this respect, as the comfort, safety and reduced cost of repairs to the
road and machinery will afford an ample return for the investment.
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The wet nature of some parts of the road requiring
constant attention to protect the iron, and the constant ditching
required to keep the heavy sand cuts upon other portions clear, run up
the cost of road repairs beyond the usual figures at best; but during
the last year, which has been peculiarly trying upon all the roads in
the State, this account is increased by a number of heavy slides and
the carrying away of several embankments.
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The most troublesome of these are the slides at Romancoke
bluffs, upon the Pamunkey, where a change of alignment has been
determined upon, and a force engaged in carrying it into effect.
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Bridging, Trestle Work and Culverts
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The Pamunkey and upper Black creek bridges sustained some
injury from the high waters of last spring, but were repaired at light
cost. The latter will require an abutment to be replaced; the
foundation of which yielded to the action of the water, the bridge
being now supported by a wooden abutment at hat end. Lower Black
creek, Chickahominy and Cohoke bridges are in good order. Gillies'
creek trestle has been nearly filled in, and the work is now suspended
for the want of cars.
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The trestle across Chickahominy bottom requires to be
filled in, which, when done, will necessitate the introduction of
another span of 50 feet, and the building of the necessary abutments.
The present single span of 50 feet, which rests upon pile abutments,
will not afford sufficient water way.
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There are several smaller streams, crossed by light
trestles, which I would recommend to replace with culverts.
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Buildings, Turnouts, Water Stations, &c.
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During the year there has been completed, at Richmond, a
substantial and convenient brick passenger depot, with extensive shed
attached, sufficient to accommodate the passenger and baggage cars now
upon the road.
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At Fair Oaks and Summit, there are neither turnouts or
buildings of any description, nor does the business of the former
point require any at present.
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At Meadow, Dispatch, and Tunstall's, the only other
points west of the Pamunkey, sufficient buildings and turnouts had
been completed prior to the date of the last report.
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At Fish Hall, Cohoke, Sweet Hall, Romancoke and West
Point, there are neither buildings or turnouts, except at Romancoke
and West Point -- at each of which places there is a single siding.
The grading of the depot lot at Richmond has so far progressed during
the year to admit of the side tracks being run under the shed, and the
passenger cars, while at this end of the line, are now protected from
the weather.
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The temporary track through the village of West Point has
not been removed, owing to the unimproved condition of the streets
connecting the depot lot with the high land, and the convenience it
afforded of delivering ordnance, supplies, &c., at that point,
being a military post.
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It is designed, however, so soon as the proper crossings
to and necessary buildings at the terminus of the road have been
completed, to remove this, as the iron and ties are needed at other
points.
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There are three water stations upon the line: one at
Richmond, supplied, without pumping, from "Bloody Run"
spring; one at Dispatch, supplied, by means of rams, from Carter's
mill pond, and the other at the crossing of the Pamunkey river,
supplied by hand pump.
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It is proposed to erect a wind mill to do the pumping at
West Point, which, if it succeeds, and it can scarcely prove a failure
at so exposed a point near the sea coast, labor in this department
will become unnecessary, and a saving of $500 per annum effected.
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Outfit
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We have four engines -- the York and Atlantic new and in
good order; the Mattaponi and Pamunkey in as good condition as age and
hard work permit, having been purchased of the {Virginia}
Central Railroad Company, (then old machines,) and run
constantly since the track laying on your road commenced. The Pamunkey,
which went down with the slide at Romancoke bluff, and was reduced to
a wreck, has been repaired, and is again at work.
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During the unusual wet weather of last spring an accident
occurred, resulting in no damage, except to the road-bed, unheard of
before, I believe, in the history of roads.
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An embankment upon the lower end of the line gave way
with a section of track under the engine Atlantic while standing,
letting it down to a bearing fifteen feet below the grade of the road,
without getting off the iron or losing its perpendicular. The engine
was gotten out without being injured in the slightest degree.
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We have four first class passenger cars, one baggage car,
then box and fifteen flat cars, four material (side dumpers) cars and
fifteen small ditching, hand and crank cars.
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Under many of the freight cars new trucks of a superior
kind, built at our own shops, have been introduced, and from time to
time, until all the old ones have been replaced which are of a light
and imperfect character, this work will be carried on.
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An express and baggage car has been commenced, and,
during the coming year, it is calculated to make such additions to our
insufficient amount of stock as the means of the Company and
facilities for doing so will admit.
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Estimated Cost of putting the Road in a thorough
state of completion and supplying the now necessary Equipment
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| Grading depot lot at Richmond |
$ 4,000 |
| Building retaining wall on Cary street |
10,000 |
| Engine house, freight shed, &c., at Richmond |
7,000 |
| Depot buildings and turnouts at intermediate
stations, section houses, &c. |
4,000 |
| Passenger depot and freight buildings at West
Point |
5,000 |
| Filling in trestle work, putting in culverts,
&c., &c. |
12,000 |
| Grading depot lot at West Point |
4,000 |
| Building necessary wharves with side tracks at
West point |
75,000 |
| 2 new locomotives |
20,000 |
| 10 box cars |
7,000 |
| 15 flat cars |
7,500 |
| 1 baggage car |
1,500 |
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$157,000 |
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In conclusion, I would express my approval of the general
efficiency of the employees, especially calling your attention to the
valuable services of Mr. Wm. S. Miller.
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Respectfully submitted,
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R. H. Temple
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Engineer and Superintendent
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