Pages 183 through 188
Camp on Partridge
August 17th, 1880
H R Holbrook, Esq.,
Chief Engr, Atlantic and Pacific RR.
Dear Sir:
In accordance with instruction from A A Robinson, our late Chief Engineer, I left my preliminary line from Campbell's Pass West, near Canon Diablo, mid-way between Sunset Crossing and the San Francisco Mts, and proceeded to a point known as the Needles on the Colorado River, which place we reached on the 20th day of May 1880, after examining the river and valley above, what is known as the Needles Crossing. I resolved to make two or more locations, one at the old Crossing, and the other about 3-4/10 miles above. I have here to fore made a preliminary report on the lines run to determine which would be the most desirable crossing, giving therewith a comparative estimate of each line. My ideas in regard thereto, aside from the figures given are these: The upper crossing is the most practicable; that is, you can build your bridge and get a good line for less money in a quicker time and save 8722 feet in distance.
I procured a boat and sounding rods for the purpose of making the necessary soundings at each crossing but on account of the swiftness of the high water I could not make them. From what I could ascertain there is rock bottom at the lower crossing, with water about twenty feet deep, and at the upper crossing there was a gravel bottom, with from 8 to 14 feet of water; commencing about one mile above and continuing one and a half miles below there is a straight channel and a riffle and just above one crossing on the Easterly side a bar extends a mile or so above over towards the West side of the river, this with the bend above will naturally keep the channel where it is now, on the West side at the crossing. The material on the West side of the river is a granite chip formation, which has been washed down from the West. The East side of the river here, is sand and gravel. I should suppose that iron piling could be used here and a permanent structure built for the amount given in my estimate.
At the lower crossing you would want masonry. There is any quantity of rock near, but none suitable for the purpose. The piers would be from 60 to 80 feet in height and I think by the time the company completed the work they would find that it had been quite an expensive undertaking. You can move earth quite cheaply, but when it comes to building expensive masonry and iron bridges, as here, and take chances in a thousand ways, it is not desirable if it can be avoided. When completed the lower bridge would be a permanent handsome structure, entirely above navigation, (one span being through the rest deck bridge) and a first class crossing. At the upper crossing you would require a draw on the West side and watchman. At Fort Yuma the SP RR Co have a Howe Truss wooden bridge, their own manufacture, 6 spans of 85 ft and one of 95 ft, altogether 605 ft. Plies were driven for piers at low water, then wooden piers built on them; the bridge is about 25 ft above average water, there being about 18 ft of water. In regard to the "Big Cut", Sec 5, you will have to operate this division on a basis of 95' grades. I can not see why at present 95' grades should not be used here. Should the company ever put on pushers over heavy grades then 74' grades would be the basis, and then 74' grades would be required here. It would be desirable to keep the adverse grade on the East side down, so as not to limit trains going West, as on this Division we have no grades heavier than 1.0 per station.
I would take advantage of these facts and lay a 74' grade wherever any work could be saved from the river to the foot of heavy grades below RR Pass. At RR Pass I did not follow the most direct route as it was necessary for me to loose as much distance as possible and have kept the outside of bends in tight places to obtain a uniform grade.
You will notice at Sta 2744 to 2759 I have a 0.53 grade. This occurs in passing over a low divide between two arroyos and as it is likely to be required for water station have marked it on the profile, -Beal's station. Mr Parker reports that a level grade might be obtained from Hualapai Pass to a point near Hackberry-this is entirely impracticable! You will notice a line tangent Sta 2859.82 to Sta 3679. This might have been laid from Sta 2859 to 3762 by using a heavier grade. A 1.8 would answer, but when I state that from 3700 to 3900 is on the slope of Peacock Mts, with from 1.5 to 6 ft slopes per 100 ft to the West you will more readily understand why. I think the line here and around Peacock Mts will bear close inspection. I surprised myself by fitting a 42' minute curve 104.36 sta. Long.
In Truxton Canon I purposely threw away 360 ft where it was most needed to lighten grade and took advantage of the necessity to make room for change of cannel, keeping the outside of bends and proposed keeping channel on the inside - by doing this I was enabled to get through on a 1.7 grade. You will notice that I have estimated for a 2.5 x 3 Box culvert of Masonry at Truxton Splrings. This was for the purpose of carrying off spring water. A smaller opening will answer just as well. The old survey called for a tunnel, just above the spring. Although the Tunnel line would be the shortest it would cost more than enough to balance distance, besides it would necessitate the use of more than a 1.8 grade. We ran a line over but gave it up. From 5200 to 5280 we are in a bad little canon. I think we were quite fortunate in getting through as well as we did. I sued curvature very freely to keep out of Malpaise cuts. We have enough of it left yet.
The work on the West side of the Colorado River "A Line" is mostly gravel, in some low flat hills would not likely strike rock, on the East side along the Colorado bottoms banks can be made out of light loamy soil easily plowed and scraped. The "Gig Cut" I think is entirely loose gravel, almost sand, but it may be partially cemented in streaks. It is my opinion that the price estimated is more than enough. My first idea of this was that 35 cents per yard would be ample, but to be entirely safe I have raised it to 35 & 50 Cents per yard. On the "C" Line West side of River we have about one mile of heavy work. L Rock cuttings, gravel hills and difficult places to borrow material for banks. On the East side of the river on this line there are some gravel cuts. The prices on profiles gives you about my idea in regard to the work. I have estimated quantities liberally: Earth at the Colorado River at 16 cents per yard, Rock $1.00, L. R. 50 cents, Riprap $1.00, Pile bridges $9.00, haul 2 cents per 100 ft after 1st 100, gravel from 20 to 50 cents, Box culverts $1.25. This last item may vary from this considerably - will depend upon how and when it is done. $2.00 per foot would have been better perhaps. I think these box culverts a nuisance and think more than likely, you will devise some other way.
The SP use a great many of them, they are cheap - the work from the junction of the A&C lines up the Sacramento wash. Outside the wash, it is usually earth, but in the wash it is gravel, sand and rounded stones, loose but quite closely packed. A large portion of the line will require Riprap on the exposed sides. This can be obtained here taking the rounded stones in the wash and piling them in the bank on the exposed face. I think the grade line should be kept up above the bed of wash, or else, as some engineer would argue, down low even with it. From what I can learn of this country I doubt whether there is any overflow oftener than once in 2 or 3 years. The work from Mohave Gap for quite a distance is over and along the slope of Sacramento Valley. The drainage from the Haulapai Mts flows West in numerous arroyos, some large and some small, and where they cross the line will require openings. There are some rock and gravel cuttings.
The work through Railroad Pass to Hualapai Pass is through a canon part of the way; there are a few Malpais cuts. The most of the work will be in constructing banks, the material for which can be borrowed nearby. The wash across Hualapai Valley is Earth easily moved. When Sta. 3600 is reached on slope of Peacock Mt we get into more gravel and gradually as we proceed, into granite chips, and further on some rock. After turning the point of Peacock Mt the work is gravel again, being more rounded and mixed with sand and fewer pebbles. Beyond Hackberry entirely for a ways we find more earth and less gravel.
Truxton Canon has Black Malpais cuts, but were enable to keep out of the worst points into gravel and earth. From Sta 4730 to 5200 the line is in an open country, most of the way earth that can be plowed and scraped easily. From 5200 to 5280 the line is in a small canon. The cuts are mostly in black malpais. There is earth in most places for banks.
You will probably want station grounds on the West side of the Colorado river, somewhere convenient for transferring coal and lumber to the river. For many reasons a side track extending from the P.C. of my 10 degree curve Sta 28 back down the river opposite Sta 70 of the C line where there is and always will be deep water in the river and a good place to make Transfer Depot. There is room for a large town here if desirable. To make depot on the main line would perhaps be a little difficult as it would have to be a little above, where the hills come close into the river. One advantage in locating Transfer Depot below the Bridge is this: River men do not like to handle crafts just above a bridge and there is more or less danger in one way and another. You will have to go quite a ways up the river to find a better landing. There will undoubtedly be a small town at the River Station.
There is no convenient point on either the A of C line for a depot on East side of the river where the town ought to be. You might make the town at Sta 70 to 90 on the bottom land and grade enough more for a side track, but this would be a little expensive. There is more business to be done on the East than on the West side of the river. Steamboats run in, to wood, just below our upper crossing and it may be that you could manage the transfer business there and put the town below the RR.
The Colorado River is navigable from its mouth to Hardyville. Its water may be a little salty at low stages but I tested it last January at Castle Dome, where they told me it was very low and it just was noticeable. The SP RR use it a Yuma and haul it to Maricoa or did last winter, supplying their section men along the line. This summer I could not detect any trace of salt in it. On May 18th we found two insignificant tanks of water west of Mohave Gap. We had heard of there being a warm spring there, but we could not fine it then, or afterwards when we came along with our camp. I have shown these tanks on maps. There are some fine bank holes in the rock here, that might be utilized in wet weather. There are places where water might be collected and run into artificial tanks and stored until needed. There has been a well dug 75 to 100 feet deep in Mohave Gap. I was told that it was dug by some miners who had some mines east of this point in he Hualapai Mts. I do not see why water can not be found by going deeper. On the road from Prescott to Ehrenberg water was found usually from 200 to 275 feet in depth. Tyson's well was but 60 ft. Cullum's 265. All the water was good, but quite warm when first drawn.
Willow Springs are situated in the Hualapai Mts some where. We saw smoke where we supposed they were; on account of the many other things which occupied my attention, I did not go there. It would not be less than 10 miles from the line. RR Springs opposite Sta. 2605 produced on May 17th just 3 gals. Of water in 4 minutes, on the 18th of June 4 gallons in 7 minutes, it having dried up considerably during the month we were away.
"Gentle Spring" does not run. There are some water holes. I think that if a trench was dug for 100 feet or so below the Springs so as to catch it all, 1 gal. Per Minute might be obtained. The water ot RR Springs has some mineral in it that affects stock and men. They all need a free dose of niter after using it.
Beal Springs are about opposite Sta. 2722. We have run a line to them and they are located on the map. The 1st is 7400 feet and the second Beal Springs proper is 9600 feet distant. Beals Springs run 3.5 gal. Per minute and the lower about 2 gal. Per minute. Johnsons Spring, about 2 miles north of Beals Springs runs 3 gal. Per minute; the water of all of these is good.
Peacock Springs, June 28th, Mr Drake found about 4 Barrels of water in a hole; by cleaning this out a gal. Or so per minute might be obtained.
Hackberry Springs runs 3.55 gal. Per minute measured July 5. Cottonwood " " 3.50 " " " 6. Stevens " " 4.00 " " " 6. Truxton " " 4.00 " " " 8.
On the morning of July 9th I measured Truxton again myself more carefully and found 4 gals. In 50 seconds. I think the water at Stevens Spring comes from Truxton Springs. Peach Springs, measured by Mr Drake on the 15 of July, ran 1742 gals per hour, elevation of the spring 4390, divide between it and line is 5082, elevation of line opposite 4950, distance from Sta 5405 to spring 2258 ft - is good water. There is a good wagon toad down to it. I hauled water from here 20 miles East. W H Hardy told me that several years ago he had sunk wells in Hualapai Valley 75 & 100 feet deep but did not find water. There are two or three wells on West side of valley from 5 to 7 miles from the line. They are only about 20 or 30 ft deep. I think the company should sink a well on Sec 64, then bring water from Peacock Springs to Sec 76, when you would have water at convenient distances from Beals Springs to Peach Springs, making use of Truxton Springs, which is near the line.
From Beals Springs to the river I would advise the sinking of a well a Mohave Gap, or a little above. This should be sunk with drill and go down till water is found-it must be there; the whole drainage of the country goes through that gap and there must be a plenty of it. Should the company have to haul water from river to RR Springs even it will be found not only annoying, but expensive.
There is no timber of any consequence from the Colorado River to the end of the line at 100 mile post. At the Colorado River there are cottonwood, Mesquite, willow and brush. Coming up the Sacramento wash, membras, palo verde and cats claw abound. There is little pine lumber on the Hualapai Mts, some cedar west of Sec. 63. There are a few cedar and palo verde growing about Hackberry. Membras grow from Hualapai Valley to Truxton Canon. There are some cedars on the hills East and West of Truxton Canon and so on East to the 100 mile post. No lumber for railroad use, for the contractors' fuel and for stake timber during construction.
The estimate of the 100 miles now located, which was completed July 14, amounts to 563,901.71 and averages 5369.02 per mile. This includes the bridge across the Colorado River and the "Big Cut" on the "A" line.
On this 100 miles we have 2470 deg. Of curvature
4553 ft of ascending grade
373 ft of adverse grade
31.78 mi of 1.1 grade or less compensated
44.07 Mi of 1.23 " "
12.22 mi of 1.47 " "
2.90 mi of 1.7 " "
9.03 mi of 1.8 " "
Your Obedient Servant,
(Sgd) Lewis Kingman
Locating Engineer.
The above report of Mr Kingman's covers the Colorado River crossing and the location of the first 100 miles of the Colorado River.
Page 183 through 188 Volume 14 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the Web by Russell Crump
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