Preliminary Survey of the
Buffalo and Erie Railroad
This document is a facsimile of a May 1, 1837 report by Thompson S. Brown, chief engineer of the Buffalo and Erie Railroad, to its board of directors. The report, prepared in Dunkirk, NY and printed in Beacon, NY, was obviously written to convince those who had already invested in the railroad that their investment was sound and to convince prospects that they too had a ready opportunity to make money. As much of the route eventually became part of the New York Central main line, this encouragement appears prescient. Within the limitations of hand-coded HTML, this document is presented as closely as possible to the original. Efforts have been made to preserve original spelling and grammar.
REPORT.
TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTORS OF THE BUFFALO AND ERIE RAIL ROAD COMPANY
GENTLEMEN:
Having, in compliance with your instructions, completed the preliminary surveys of the Buffalo and Erie Rail Road, together with the estimates based thereon, I have the honor to submit the following report.
I. General description of the line.
The Buffalo and Erie Rail Road will extend from the western limits of the State of New York, eastward, along the south shore of Lake Erie, to Buffalo; a distance of about 70 miles. At its western extremity, it will connect with a rail road, to be hereafter chartered by the State of Pennsylvania, leading to Erie, and thence to the line between Pennsylvania and Ohio. From the eastern boundary-of Ohio, along the shore of Lake Erie, to the western extremity of the Lake, Rail Road charters have already been granted, and at different points of the line, the construction of the road has been commenced. It is believed, also, that Rail Road charters already exist, and that surveys have been made, and even construction begun on a connected line of roads, extending westward from Lake Erie to the southern extremity of Lake Michigan, and thence, in the same direction, to the Mississippi river. At Buffalo, the eastern extremity of your road will connect with the continuous line of Rail Roads, constructed, and to be constructed, leading from Buffalo to Albany, whence, by means of the western Rail Road of Massachusetts, a communication will soon be opened with Boston. The Buffalo and Erie Rail Road, is therefore, an important link in that grand chain of Rail Road communications, which, by the route along the Erie Canal and the shores of the Great Lakes, is to connect Boston with the Mississippi River, the extreme east, with the extreme west. This line is intersected at various points by important lateral branches which will serve to swell the amount of its business, and to dispense to all parts of the widely extended country through which they pass, the advantages of a cheap and rapid mode of intercourse. At Dunkirk, forty-two miles west of Buffalo, your road will connect with the western termination of the great New York and Erie Rail Road, which commencing at Tappan on the Hudson River, will proceed westward through the southern tier of Counties of the State of New York, to Lake Erie. To that work, yours will be an important auxiliary, and from the connection between them, when completed, much profit cannot fail to accrue to your Stockholders.
Desisting from these general views, I will proceed to describe, more particularly, the route of the Buffalo and Erie Rail Road.
Commencing at a point on the western boundary line of the State of New York, within a few rods of Lake Erie, in the new village of Napoleon, the line proceeds in a Northeasterly direction, inclining at first inland, for the purpose of avoiding the numerous ravines into which the surface is cut immediately adjoining the Lake shore. Having in a length of two miles, attained a distance from the shore of about one mile, the line for about 6 miles will run on extremely favorable ground, parallel to the shore, and below the ridge on which the post road is constructed. Here it will again be necessary to converge towards the Lake for a distance of two miles, for the purpose of attaining a favorable point for crossing Chautauque creek.
At Westfield, and for some distance below, the ravine formed by this creek is very wide and deep, but near the Lake in the village of Barcelona, (Portland Harbor,) a point for crossing is found, which though still requiring the construction of a bridge of considerable extent and cost, is the best which can be obtained.
Passing through the village of Barcelona on the line either of 8th or 6th street, the line will again diverge from the Lake. and crossing numerous ravines, will once more reach the smooth and favorable surface immediately below the ridge occupied by the main road. Running close under the foot of this ridge, the line passes about half a mile north of Centreville and Salem, and crosses Coney's creek and Slippery Rock creek, at points where no difficulties are presented, though nearer the Lake, the ravines of both these creeks would offer very formidable obstacles. Soon after passing Salem, the line changes direction, and converging towards the Lake, crosses the ravine formed by the Little Canadaway Creek where it is 600 feet wide and twenty deep, the; creek itself being only twenty or thirty feet wide, and one or two deep. Leaving Van Buren harbor about a mile to the north, and crossing the Canadaway creek at a favorable point, the route will pass over some broken ground, and entering Dunkirk, will curve into the line of Third street, down which it will proceed to its intersection with Lion street. At this point, which is eighteen miles from Barcelona, or twenty-eight from the State Line, your road will intersect the New York and Erie Rail Road.
In running the experimental lines, all the Lake shore villages have been included in the route, except Van Buren. It was found on examination that the road could not be taken through this place without incurring considerable extra expense, by crossing the valleys of Coney's creek, Slippery Rock creek and Little Canadaway creek at unfavorable points, besides encountering numerous ravines, which the line, as actually run, avoids; or without approaching Van Buren from the westward, at a rate of descent much greater than has been found necessary on any other part of the road. East of this village the ground is very favorable. A knowledge of the positions and elevations of certain fixed points has led to these conclusions without the necessity, for the purpose of a preliminary survey, of actually running a line of levels through Van Buren. It will undoubtedly be for the interest of the Stockholders that the road should pass through as many villages as possible, and particularly where the villages are situated at harbors on the Lake, but if future careful surveys should confirm what is rendered probable by the partial examinations already made, it will evidently be better that Van Buren should be connected with the main route by a short branch, than that the road should be seriously injured by taking it there in opposition to the requirements of the ground and to true principles of location. The Rail Road already chartered, which is to connect Van Buren Harbor with Fredonia, will cross your road not far from halfway between those places, and might very conveniently, serve as a branch leading to both.
Proceeding eastward from Dunkirk, the line will follow the course of 3d street for nearly a mile, and then bending more towards the Lake, and crossing several creeks and ravines over eight miles of surface which is on the whole rather favorable, will pass just to the north of the residence of Oliver Lee, Esq., at Silver Creek, and will strike Silver Creek in the village of Fayette, at a point two or three hundred feet from its mouth. Leaving the creek, the line curves around Oak Hill which lies immediately to the east of it, upon the top, and near the brink of the precipitous rocky bluff fort feet high, which at that place forms the Lake shore.
The Valley of Silver Creek, and Oak Hill beyond, present obstacles which appear somewhat formidable; but by passing the road over the valley at a considerable height, by means of a trestle bridge, the alternatives, of steep grades, or of deep cutting and heavy filling, are both avoided at a comparatively moderate expense.
Having cleared Oak Hill by means of two curves of 2500 feet radius, their curvatures being in opposite directions, the route continues on favourable ground to Irving, at the mouth of Cattaraugus creek, three miles distant. The flats adjacent to Cattaraugus creek are occasionally subject to be overflowed, but this evil will be much diminished when the United States works of improvement at the mouth of the Harbor are completed, and a very moderate embankment will obviate all inconvenience from this cause.
Crossing Cattaraugus creek at a point either immediately adjacent to the new bridge, or at a considerable distance above it, the line traverses the Cattaraugus Indian reservation where it is only a mile and a half wide, and conforming with the direction of the Lake shore, will bend considerably to the north, for the purpose of keeping upon the favorable surface extending between the Lake and the high and broken ground occupied by the old Erie road. Four miles from the Cattaraugus, in the rear of Cash's tavern on the lake road, a ridge is encountered, running in a direction nearly perpendicular to the line, and terminating in a bluff upon the Lake, and immediately east of the ridge, follows the wide and deep valley of Mud creek. In passing this ridge a cut will be necessary, which will extend about 2500 feet, with a mean depth of seven feet, and the grade line will pass over Mud creek valley for a distance of 900 feet, at a height above the surface of from fifteen to twenty-five feet. From Mud creek to Big Sister creek, crossing Delaware creek, the line passes over very favorable ground. Bending around the point of high ground occupied by Mr. Taylor's farm at Big Sister creek, the experimental lines of survey have crossed that creek within a few rods of tile point where it is crossed by the old Erie road. From this place, which is eight miles from Cattaraugus creek, or twenty miles from Dunkirk, and about a mile and a half from the lake shore, the line again turns inland, and proceeds in nearly a direct course over ground which is not unfavorable, except that it will require an ascending grade of twenty-five feet to a mile, to the point selected for crossing Eighteen Mile creek, five miles distant. This crossing place is about two and a half miles from the Lake, and a short distance above the small village, at the mill owned by Mr. Burland. the whole course of the creek for about three and a half miles from the mouth, was carefully examined, and this point chosen as offering, on the whole, the fewest disadvantages. Here the chasm formed by the stream is about 400 feet wide, with precipitous rocky banks on each side, and the height of the grade line above the bottom of the ravine will be about ninety feet. This ravine is the most formidable obstacle which is encountered on the whole road. It is proposed to pass it by means of a wooden bridge resting upon two piers, the abutments, and also the piers for a height of thirty feet, to be of masonry, and the upper part of the piers to consist of substantial frames of timber, capable of supporting securely the bridge and load. Progressing eastward, the grade line continues slightly to ascend for a distance of about two miles, when it reaches an elevation above the Lake of nearly 160 feet. To descend from this elevation by an easy slope on favorable ground, required for five miles numerous and careful examinations. In the end a line was determined, which converges considerably towards the Lake, and winding down along the northern slope of the high ground east of Eighteen Mile creek, at a rate of descent not greater than it has been necessary to adopt on other parts of the road, proceeds iii a direction on the whole remarkably straight, towards Buffalo. A point on this line four and a half miles east of the place of crossing Eighteen Mile Creek, is about one hundred feet above the Lake and one mile distant from it. From this place, the line, continuing to descend over a very favorable surface, with the exception of a few deep and wide ravines by which the ground is furrowed, extends three and a half miles to a point about a mile east from Comstock's tavern, on the Lake road, and about three-fourths of a mile from the shore. In the vicinity of Comstock's the Lake coast turns towards the north and west, nearly at right angles to its previous general direction, and the rail road route conforming to it, bends in a similar manner. From the point of this route last mentioned, one mile east of Comstock's and about six miles from Buffalo, two routes have been surveyed leading into this city. One, running parallel to the shore soon enters the Buffalo swamp, and passing for the last three miles between the turnpike and the Lake, and but a few hundred feet from the water, crosses Buffalo creek on the line of Ohio street just above the present toll bridge, and proceeds down Ohio street, towards its junction with Main street. The other, keeping back from the Lake about one and a half miles, and upon the Indian land, will pass over the Buffalo swamp where it is not wide, and will cross Buffalo creek one mile and three-fourths above the turnpike bridge. From this place the line follows the course of the Abbott road towards the city of Buffalo, and entering Elk street, near the boundary line of the Indian reservation, may proceed down that street or any of the streets parallel to it towards Main street. It will be for the directors to determine which of these routes shall be chosen for final location; and for the purpose of making this choice, careful estimates and statements of their comparative cost and advantages, will at a proper time, be presented. The route last mentioned, has on account of its cheapness, been selected for the estimate contained in the present report.
The foregoing general description applies to the route of the road as determined by the examinations which have actually been made; but it is important to remark that material modifications of it will undoubtedly be suggested by further surveys, particularly from Buffalo to Dunkirk; and it is not impossible that a line may be found, differing entirely from, and possessing advantages superior to the one now described.
In considering the profile of this road, the principal remark which it is important to make, is, that though it is to be constructed immediately adjacent to the waters of Lake Erie, it will have no resemblance to a road built in the valley of a river. The grade line far from being on the whole nearly level, is broken into a continual succession of ascents and descents. At the State Line, Portland harbor, Dunkirk, Cattaraugus creek, and Buffalo, the height of the road is only from 10 to 40 feet above the Lake; but between all those places there are one or more summits, varying in height from l00 to 160 feet. This undulating character of the road, results chiefly, from the necessity of approaching the Lake at certain points, for the purpose of attaining good places for crossing some of the streams, as at the State line, to secure a good location for crossing Twenty-Mile creek in the State of Pennsylvania, and at the mouths of Chautauque creek, Canadaway creek, Silver creek, and Cattaraugus creek; and of receding from the shore on other parts of the line, to avoid ravines, and ridges terminating at the edge of the water in abrupt rocky bluffs. As the face of the country generally inclines towards the Lake at a considerable angle, the distance of the line from the shore cannot be varied, without causing a corresponding variation of level. It gives me pleasure, however, to inform you that the rise per mile will no where exceed twenty-five feet, and that there will not be any curves of less than 2500 feet radius. As the chief points for the receipt and delivery of freight coincide nearly with the Lake level, the ascents and descents between these points will be equalized. - The greatest inclination upon your road being as before stated, only 25 feet per mile, on which slope it may be assumed that the gravitating force of the load will be nearly by the friction, the loss of power resulting from the undulations in the grade line, will be much less than might be supposed. The load attached to a Locomotive Engine of given power, will necessarily be limited to that with which the steepest grade on the line can be overcome; but in consequence of the compensating effect resulting from the action of gravity on the descending slopes, the measure of the mechanical effort necessary to transport this load from any point at the level of the Lake to any other point at the same level, will be no greater than if the road between were horizontal, and of equal length, except on account of the loss of power arising from the additional friction, produced by the action of the load upon the Engine on the ascents. Practically speaking, the variable action of the engine will be productive of inconvenience; but this evil may to a considerable extent, be obviated by proper management on the part of the engine man. Having these important principles in view, it has appeared to me proper to diminish the cost of the road by regulating the grade in short portions, so that it will conform nearly to the various slopes of the ground, always taking care, of course, to keep the inclination below the limit assigned above the maximum. It has also been my object to keep the grade line, as much as possible, from one to two feet above the surface of the ground, with a view to the use of the road in the winter season, and on account of the wetness of the soil; and hence, the estimates show a considerable excess of embankment over excavation. Great improvements in the adjustment of the grade lines will undoubtedly result from further examinations, but it not probable that any route can be found which will be cheaper than the one I have described.
II. Description of the kind of Road which it is proposed to construct.
The soil on which the Buffalo and Erie Rail Road will run is generally not favorable. It consists principally of clay, and the surface, for much of the way, abounds with springs. It is necessary to counteract these inconveniences, by adopting some expedient which will be likely to secure in all seasons, a firm support for the rail. The country is well supplied with timber, but is deficient in good stone, and it is upon timber, therefore, that we must, at least in the first instance rely.
On most of the line the course adopted will be as follows. Trees of sufficient size to square not less than one foot, will be taken in lengths of 20, 30, or 40 feet. One side of these trees will be very carefully hewed flat, they will be placed longitudinally in two continuous parallel lines, the distance from centre to centre of the logs being equal to the proposed width of the track, and the flattened surfaces being upwards and conforming accurately to the proposed grade. At every ten feet, they will be supported by being notched into cross ties beneath, to which they will be firmly secured with wedges. These cross ties will consist of pieces 8 feet long, of trees at least one foot through. Whenever it shall be found necessary, as in the case of an embankment, the cross ties will rest on stout props varying in length according to the height of the grade line above the natural surface, a firm bearing being obtained for the props by settling them the requisite distance into the ground. This system being perfected, there will already exist, in every place where there is to be an embankment, a rail road, constructed of timber for the most part unhewn. The road is now to be graded, and the whole of this timber work is to be covered with earth, the flattened surface of the longitudinal pieces being buried about 3 inches. Where the road passes beneath the natural surface, the cross ties and longitudinal pieces will be placed in their proper positions in proportion as the excavation progresses, so as to form continuous and uniform lines with the portions previously laid down, and the ultimate result will be, that the whole road will be graded, and will have every where buried within it, the timbers on which the chief reliance is to be placed for the stability and firmness of the track. When this is effected, the longitudinal pieces will have their upper surfaces cleared of earth, and a sawed rail, five inches square, will be placed upon and firmly secured to them. Upon this sawed rail, a plate bar, 2 1-4th inches wide and 3-4ths of an inch thick, will be spiked, and the horse path and the road bed being again adjusted, so that there shall be three inches of earth upon the upper surface of the longitudinal timbers, and ample provision being made for drainage, the road will be completed.
This mode of construction has been adopted upon other roads, particularly on the Rail Road from Rochester to Batavia, and it appears to promise as many advantages, in a woody country, as any other plan which has been devised. It is peculiarly adapted to neutralize the disadvantages of a wet clayey soil, and will afford in all seasons a firm support to a locomotive Engine, and the road will not be much affected by frost. The principal part of the wood work being buried, ant entirely out of contact with the air, the road may be expected to last at least as long as any other constructed chiefly of timber, and if the requisite care is taken in putting it down, no reason can be perceived why should not be smooth and of good quality.
As stated above, the method now described, will be that which will be pursued on the greater part of the line. Where timber of suitable quality shall be found to be scarce, however, or where from any other cause it may seem to be proper, the superstructure will be built on the plan more generally adopted in the United States, and of which the Utica and Schenectady Rail Road furnishes a favorable specimen. This latter mode is so well known that is unnecessary to describe it more particularly, and the expense of the two methods will be nearly the same.
It is proposed that the Buffalo and Erie Rail Road shall consist of two tracks, and with this in view, and to furnish sufficient room for the transaction of the very heavy business which must at a future day be done upon it, a strip of land will be obtained six rods wide.
In the first instance, the grading will be done but for one track, except in those cases where a great saving may be effected by grading for both tracks at once, and at those points where two tracks will immediately be required to facilitate the business of the road. The width of track will be 4 feet 8 ½ inches; the width of the road for two tracks will be 24 feet; the side slopes will be included at the rate of 1 ½ base, to 1 perpendicular; and the width of the side ditches in excavation will be 4 feet.
III. Estimate of the cost of the Road.
Two distinct estimates will be presented; one for the completion of one track, and for putting the road in a condition to commence business; the other for the completion of two tracks, with a full provision for all the accessories, necessary to the successful prosecution of Rail Road business on a large scale.
1. Estimate of the cost of completing one track, and putting the road in a condition to commence business; the bridges, except the trestle bridges over ravines, &c., to be built for two tracks.
From Dunkirk to Buffalo: 42 miles. Embankment, 424,733.5 cubic yards Excavation, 283,168.3 cubic yards Total, 707,901.8 cubic yards $77,869.19 Bridging and Masonry, 49,310.00
In this item, the following amounts besides others are included. For a trestle bridge, 2000 feet long, over the valley of Silver Creek, $8000.00; for a bridge over Cattaraugus Creek, $4,500.00; for a trestle bridge, 900 feet long, over the valley of Mud Creek, $2,700.00; for a bridge, 400 feet long, over Eighteen Mile Creek, $16,000.00; and for a bridge over Buffalo Creek, $2,500.00. Ample provision is made for drainage, but masonry will be used sparingly, owing to the scarcity of good stone.
Superstructure,
For one mile,
Timber, Longitudinal pieces, delivered round, 10,560 running feet, at 1 ¾ cents per foot, the roadway through the woods supplying a considerable proportion, $184.80 528 cross ties, at 8 cents, 42.24 5,280 feet round timber for props, at ¾ cent per foot, 39.60 Wedges, 50.00 Sawed rail, five inches square, 22,000 feet board measure, at $10.00 per m., 220.00 Workmanship. 700.00 Iron, Plate rail, 2 ¼ by ¾ inches, 26 ½ tons per mile, at $75.00 per ton, 1,987.50 705 end plates, at 7 cents each, 49.35 1,320 pounds 4 ½ inch pressed spikes, at 10 cents per pound, 132.00 Workmanship, 50.00 Making horse path, finishing banks, clearing ditches, distributing materials, &c., 700.00 Unforeseen expenses, 44.51 Total for one mile $4,200.00
45 miles of Superstructure, at $42,000.00 per mile, 189,000.00 Turn outs, road crossings, &c., 600.00 Land and fencing, 18,450.00 Chopping and grubbing, 2,000.00 Engineering and miscellaneous expenditures, 30,000.00 Depots at Buffalo and Dunkirk, 20,000.00 Water stations, 6,000.00 Total cost, averaging $9,362.60 per mile. $393,229.19
To commence business. 4 Locomotive Engines, 30,000.00 40 Passenger Cars, 32,000.00 40 Burden Cars, 12,000.00 Total, $467,229.19
From Dunkirk to the State Line: 28 miles. Embankment, 183,274.9 cubic yards Excavation, 112,512.0 cubic yards Total, 295,786.9 $29,578.69 Bridging and masonry. 23,640.00 In this item the following amounts are included, viz: - For a bridge over Canadaway Creek, $1,590.00; for a trestle bridge, 600 feet long, over Little Canadaway Creek, $1,800.00; and for a bridge over Chautauque Creek, $3,690.00 Superstructure; 31 miles, at $4,200.00 per mile. 130,200.00 Turn outs, road crossings, &c., 400.00 Land and fencing, 14,000.00 Chopping and grubbing 1,400.00 Engineering and miscellaneous expenditures, 20,000.00 Depots and water stations, 13,500.00 Total cost, averaging $8,311.38 per mile. $232,718.69
To extend the business of the road from Dunkirk to the State Line. 2 Locomotive Engines, $15,000.00 20 Passenger Cars, 16,000.00 20 Burden Cars, 6,000.00 Total, $269,718.69 Recapitulation. Cost of road from Buffalo to Dunkirk; $393,229.19 Cost of road from Dunkirk to State Line 232,718.69 Total cost of 70 miles of road, averaging $8,942.11 per mile; $625,947.88 To commence business. 6 Locomotive Engines, $45,000.00 60 Passenger Cars, 48,000.00 60 Burden Cars 18,000.00 Total expenditure for completing one track, with bridging for two tracks, and for providing ample means for the commencement of business, $736,947.88
2. Complete estimate of the cost of constructing the road with a double track. This estimate includes the amount of the previous one, and the difference between the two will be expended at a future period, when the business of the road shall require it.
From Buffalo to the State Line: 70 miles. Embankment, 900,990.7 cubic yards, Excavation, 509,850.0 cubic yards Total, 1,410,840.7 cubic yards $151,028.16 Bridging and masonry, 100,950.00 Superstructure, equal to 145 miles of single track, at $4200.00 per mile, 609,000.00 Turn outs, road crossings, &c., 2,000.00 Land and fencing, 32,450.00 Chopping and Grubbing, 4,000.00 Engineering and miscellaneous expenditures, 60,000.00 Depots and Machine Shops, 45,000.00 Water stations, 15,000.00 Total cost, averaging $14,563.26 per mile, $1,019,428.16 For a Full Business. 12 Locomotive Engines, $90,000.00 80 Passenger Cars, 64,000.00 150 Burden Cars, 45,000.00 Total, $1,218,428.16
To inspire confidence in these estimates, it may be stated, that for most of the items, the cost has been determined by taking the cost of similar items on works actually constructed, and adding a large per centage on account of the present advance of prices.
Should there be such a general decline of prices as there seems good reason to anticipate, there can be no doubt that the work ought to be constructed for less than the amount stated in the estimate.
It will have been observed that an estimate has been made of the cost of land, although it is expected that the liberal feeling which will undoubtedly actuate the land holders along the route, towards a work destined to be of immense value to the country through which it is to pass, will relieve the company from all expense for this object.
IV. Estimate of the probable profit which the road will yield to the Stockholders.
Under this head so much must necessarily be left to conjecture, that nothing more than a reasonable approximation can be expected. Feeling sanguine, however, that the work will yield a large return upon the capital invested, I will present briefly, some of the data upon which my opinion is founded, and each stockholder will be enabled to determine for himself, the degree of weight to which the opinion is entitled.
Supposing the road with one track completed from Buffalo to the State line, and provided, according to the estimate above, with ample means for the commencement of operations; the cost of carrying on the business of transporting passengers, and of repairs, and maintenance of way, may be estimated at about $70,000 dollars a year. If we suppose the travel to be on an average only 75 passengers each way per day, the net profits for a year would be $94,000 dollars, or nearly 13 per cent. On the supposition that there would be 100 passengers each way per day, the profits would be upwards of 20 per cent, and should the number be as great as it is on the Utica and Schenectady Rail Road, the annual profits would be between 30 and 40 percent.
To anyone familiar with the rapid increase of population and wealth in the west, it will appear far from extravagant, to expect that within ten years from this time, there will be as much business done on the Buffalo and Erie Rail Road as is done at present on the Utica and Schenectady Rail Road. The probability is that in much less than ten years, this expectation will be realized. The number of travellers by stage, last year, between Erie and Buffalo, was twice as great as it was the preceeding year, and for some time to come the increase will probably go on at almost as great a ratio, as the facilities for travelling are multiplied. The present post road along the Lake shore, from Buffalo westward, is for the first 30 miles, notoriously among the worst in the State. There are few travellers in this region of country who do not dread passing the "Cattaraugus woods;" nevertheless the number of stage passengers upon this road, both ways, during, the year ending April 1st, 1837, was about 11,000, besides great numbers by private conveyance, almost the whole of the travelling being done during ,the suspension of the Lake navigation. If a Rail Road had existed, the increased amount of travel for the winter months alone, would unquestionably have doubled the whole amount for the year. In the present state of things, many who have occasion to pass in the winter from Buffalo to Michigan and to the countries west of it, choose the route through Canada, from the Niagara River to Detroit, notwithstanding all its inconveniences; but when your Rail Road and those which are to connect with it shall have been completed, nearly the whole of these travellers will prefer to go by the south shore of Lake Erie, through the flourishing country and populous towns of the United States. Great numbers who now travel between the, east and the west, in the winter, by way of Pittsburgh, and through other channels, will prefer the northern route, as soon as the line of communication of which your road forms a part, shall have been thrown open.
The whole number of persons arriving at and departing from Buffalo, by water, during the season of navigation, is probably much more than 200,000. It cannot be considered extravagant to expect, that of this number, at least one fourth would prefer the Rail Road to the Steam Boat. Many having business along the Lake shore, would take the Rail Road as being most convenient, many would take it on account of the greater rapidity with which they could travel, and very many would be induced to take it from a dread of sea sickness, and of the dangers of Lake navigation. These and other considerations, would probably induce a much greater portion than I have stated, to prefer the land conveyance to that by water. If the Rail Road were at this moment in operation, the number of travellers on it could not be: less than from 60 to 80 thousand in a year, which would produce a profit of from 12 to 20 per cent, but before the work can be constructed these numbers will be greatly increased. By the time your road is finished, those which are to connect with it both at its eastern and western extremities, will also be in operation, and the amount of travelling in the winter season will thereby be much augmented.
When the New York and Erie Rail Road shall have been constructed, your road will derive from it also a large accession of business; and that operations on that great work will speedily be resumed, no one aware of its vital importance to the City of New York and to more than half the territory of the State, can for a moment doubt.
In addition to the revenue from passengers, there must likewise be very considerable receipts on account of freight. Of this no estimate will be attempted, but it may be suggested that the freighting business of Chautauque County alone, which already numbers about 50,000 souls, and is rapidly increasing in population, would go to a considerable way towards defraying the expenses of the road. In the spring and fall, just before the opening of the Lake navigation, and just after it has closed, the business on the Rail Road will be particularly active, and there will always those times be much freight to be conveyed.
The transportation of the United States Mail will afford another important source of revenue. The receipts on this account will probably be from $10,000, to $15,000, a year.
The general result of the whole of these imperfect views is, that the Stockholders are entitled to indulge, with confidence, the most sanguine expectations of handsome profits from their investment.
Accompanying this Report, I lay before the Board of Directors thirteen maps drawn by Mr. R. S. Moore, which embrace plans and profiles of the whole of the routes surveyed.
I received my appointment last October, and on the first of November the preliminary surveys were commenced. The parties continued in the field through the most severe part of the winter, until the end of January, during which time, careful instrumental examinations were made of upwards of l55 miles of line. I should do great injustice to all the gentlemen engaged with me, did I not bear testimony to the zeal and energy with which I was seconded by them, in carrying into effect the wishes of the company.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant. T. S. BROWN. Chief Engineer of the Buffalo and Erie Rail Road. Dunkirk, N.Y. May 1st, 1837.
(Note: Added in pencil: Thompson S, 1807 - 1855)