Selections From The Splinters - Volume 12

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Comments upon line in Fox, Kane and De Kalb Counties.

Sublette, Ill. Sept. 14, 1886

B. F. Booker, Esq.,
Keokuk, Iowa.

Dear Sir:

I left Mr. Hodge at Paw Paw yesterday morning to finish up inking the profile, which he will probably do today and express to you.

This profile commences at Station 1989 at the crossing of the Fox River Valley Railroad just west of Fox, Kane County, Illinois and extends across the larger part of Kane and De Kalb Counties to a junction with the located line from Geneva to Sublette, Station 3608+09-1/2 of the present survey being equal to 1742+50 of the Geneva line, a distance of 30 miles and 3509-1/2 feet. The country passed through is a very fine agricultural region but destitute of mineral resources. At Fox River are the noted limestone quarries used extensively in that part of the country. This stone can be shipped to convenient points near the line of the present survey, thus being available for the construction of masonry, with a haul by wagon of two to six miles from the nearest railway station.

This profile represents the gravel division of our survey. Good gravel for ballast can be obtained at convenient points all along the line, only very slightly covered with soil. At two points I extended the width of the right of way to include large gravel hills, twenty-five or thirty ft. high which are above grade.

This line crosses Blackberry, Welch, 2 forks of Big Rock, Little Rock, Somonauk, Little Indian, and Big Indian Creeks, most of which will need truss bridges from 50 to 60 ft. spans. Though in all cases trestle work would answer temporarily and the permanent structures put in at some future time after track laying.

I have put two systems of grade lines on the profile 0.8 and 0.6 per station as per your instructions. I have omitted the last ascending grade line as I have no notes of the survey from the point of junction with the Geneva line to the head of the grade near Paw Paw. If the notes had been here I would have continued the profile to Paw Paw which is the appropriate terminus of this division.

I found it impracticable to get an over grade crossing of the Sycamore and Spring Valley branch of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. It could be done by making a long detour to the north just east of Paw Paw and running down the valley of Big Indian Creek, crossing under the trestle at Shabbona Grove, but the distance and curvature would be largely increased.

Very truly yours
(Signed) H. R. Weeks

Volume 12 Splinters page 102 transcribed in altered form for the web by Matt Lee.

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