completion upon the plan now followed, and under the several heads of location, grading, bridging, and macadamizing, will, it is presumed, furnish all the information required by the resolution, as respects the Cumberland road in the State of Ohio.

The road is now complete, and in the hands of the State, to the fortythird mile west of Columbus, the seat of government. From that city to the State line the distance is 96 miles, leaving 53 miles to be finished. 'The line is located through the State, and no further expense under this head will be incurred. The grading to the 48th mile is complete; the bridging to the Miami river on the 62d mile, and the clearing and grubbing to the 82d mile west of Columbus, are in the course of completion with the means now in hand. There remain 142 miles to grub and clear, 493 miles to grade, 35 miles to be bridged, and 53 miles to be macadamized.

I transmit herewith an estimate for the completion of the above work, containing the separate cost of grubbing, grading, bridging, and macadamizing each separate mile of the road remaining to be constructed or finished, the requisite surveys and examinations for this purpose having been made during the past summer.

In my annual report of the condition of this work on the 30th September, 1839, was embraced a project for its completion on the plan of operations herein referred to, showing the amount of appropriation required from year to year during the next three years, to insure its completion and surrender to the State early in 1843.

This plan contemplated carrying on the work, so that ten miles might be given up in the spring of 1841, twenty miles in 1842, and twenty-three and three-fourths miles, being the remainder, in 1843. The amount of the annual appropriations required for the purpose being as follows:

For 1840, $292,000; for 1841, $232,000; and for 1842, $114,166 26. Total, $638,166 26; being the amount of the estimates hereunto annexed. That portion of the road yet to be finished passes through a fertile and populous part of the State of Ohio, furnishing facilities for its construction superior to what has been met with on the seventy miles last completed. Many resources are expected to develop themselves in the course of construction, tending to diminish the cost of the work, which cannot now be foreseen. But the most important of all are timely and adequate appropriations, which will enable competent contractors and workmen, who have embarked in the business, to continue upon the work, and also offer inducements for competition among the inhabitants of the country through which it passes, and in every respect contribute to the facility and economy with which the work may be conducted.

Respectfully submitted, with the accompanying estimate, to the Chief Engineer.

Col. Jus. G. TOTTEN,

G. DUTTON, Captain Unitel States Engineers.

Amount on hand September 30, 1839

C.

OFFICE OF THE CUMBERLAND Road,

Terre Haute, Indiana, December 28, 1839.

SIR: In conformity with your instructions of the 6th February, 1839, I have the honor to transmit:

Estimate of the amount required to complete the Cumberland road in Indiana, east of Indianapolis.

Estimate of the amount required to complete the Cumberland road in Indiana, west of Indianapolis.

Estimate of the amount required to complete the Cumberland road in Illinois, east of Vandalia.

Estimate of the amount required to complete the Cumberland road in Illinois, west of Vandalia.

Estimate of the amount required to complete the Cumberland road in Missouri to Jefferson city.

Abstract of the amount required to complete the Cumberland road in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

Comparative average cost per mile to complete the Cumberland road in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

A drawing showing the route on which the estimate was made in Illinois, west of Vandalia.

A drawing showing the route on which the estimate was made in Mis

rouri.

These estimates were made with a view of progressing with the road from the easteru boundary of each State, and operating only at one point, and for Indiana and Illinois at the present high rate of wages for laborers, viz one dollar per day, since which the rate has been reduced in Indiana about one third, and in the eastern part of Illinois about one-fourth; in consequence of which, it is believed that the expenditures on the road for the next three years will fall short of the estimate. The estimate for Missouri is made with the same rate of wages for the grading and masony, but reduced to seven-five cents for breaking stone for the metallic covering.

If the operations are carried on from more than one point in each State, the following allowance will have to be made for each point per annum: 1 assistant engineer, at $100 per month

1 2d assistant engineer, at $75 per month

1 rodman, at $60 per month

- $1,200 00

900 00

720 00

1,095 00

1,095 00

547 50

730 00

200 00

6,487 00

To show the bearing this will have on the estimates, we will suppose that $314,424 92 be appropriated annually for the completion of the road in Indiana, and the operations be carried on from three different points; then the two additional offices will, at the time of completion, have added $129,750 to the cost of construction; and in Illinois, where there are

but two points from which to operate, the additional cost would be $64,875.

Of the estimates for the completion of the road west of Vandalia, I have briefly to state, that an examination of the report and notes of Mr. Shriver led me to the conclusion that even an approximate estimate made from them would be far beyond the amount required for the completion of the road to Jefferson city. I was led to this conclusion by the following facts, viz: Mr. Shriver was directed to make his survey and location" on a straight line," or as nearly so as the "nature of the ground should admit.” His variations from this straight line were limited by the maximum grade of four degrees, and with this limitation he frequently found it necessary to make deep cuts and high embankments on from 15 to 20 miles of the route; and so much broken was this portion of it, that a reduction of the grade to correspond with that of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, viz: two degrees, would have required an amount more than sufficient to have completed the road under a more favorable location. I was not furnished with the data which governed Mr. Shriver's estimate of the cost of construction, but, from my knowledge of the cost of such work, was convinced that he had under-estimated almost every item. Under these circumstances I believed it necessary to make an examination of the entire route from Vandalia to Jefferson city, to obtain the information required to arrive at even an "approximate estimate." Accordingly, a corps was organized at Vandalia for the purpose of making a survey and measurement of the route; and as it was not intended that it should have any relationship to a permanent location of the road, the levelling was omitted, when, by the judgment of the eye, the inclination of the natural surface of the ground was under two degrees.

This reconnoissance was made with a view to ascertain a route be. tween Vandalia and St. Louis, which would combine the least variation of grade with the least masonry, and consequently the cheapest route, without regard to any given straight line. In the previous survey St. Louis had been made a point on the route, and, considering it an important one, it was adopted in this.

The route from Vandalia to St. Louis was through a slightly undulating country, the watercourses easily approached, and presenting no difficulty in crossing them. In a permanent location of this road, the distance might frequently be advantageously shortened, and frequently the lengthening would prove more advantageons by reducing the cost of culverts and drainage. The present estimate is made on a line crossing the Mississippi at Illinois town, on the lower ferry, though it is believed the best crossing could be obtained at the upper ferry. From St. Louis, the route was continued westwardly, and varies but little from the previous survey, until it strikes the dividing ridge of the Missouri and Merrimack rivers near the head-waters of the Cuire Couse; thence continues on that ridge to the head of Labadie creek, from which point the waters that run south empty into the Bourbeuse river, thence to the divide between the river Au Boeuf on the north, and Red Oak creek on the south; from thence on a spur dividing two branches of the Gasconade to that river, thence westward on a similar spur to the dividing ridge of the Gasconade and river Mariac, thence on a spur to the Osage river near the mouth of the Mariac,