strong, nor is the line and surface as good as when last inspected. The station buildings have been renewed at points as before stated. All of them were inspected and found in good order, with the exception of South Wales and Holland, both of which need repairs and better sittings. The roadway has had little work done on it this season, and generally the weeds and underbrush have not been removed. The fencing has received some repairs and renewals, but otherwise it is as before reported.

Narrow-Gauge Division.
(Three feet gauge.)

This division in New York extends from Olean to the Pennsylvania State line, crossing a high range of hills through an oil territory to Bradford. Four and one-half miles of the road in New York is now laid with steel rails, mostly on the sharp curves. At least eighty per cent of the road is a curved alignment with maximum grades of two hundred feet per mile. The station, buildings are rough in exterior, but the waiting rooms are clean and comfortable, as before reported. A great improvement has been made this season in the almost entire rebuilding of the trestle work, of which there is a large amount. These have been rebuilt in a substantial manner. They have strong floors and are well guard-railed. Those not entirely rebuilt have been repaired or filled. Over the Allegheny river where there was a light timber truss of three spans, is now three spans of Post combination truss, having lower chords and floor beams at panel points of iron. The whole rests upon new abutments and piers of strong oak piling. The pile bridge adjoining has also been rebuilt. All curves on trestles, and abrupt curves on road-bed, have inside guards of railroad iron. The iron rail is much worn and should be renewed in part, at least. The sleepers are generally in good life, and the road-bed well drained. There is little, if any, ballast under the superstructure, but for an ordinary earth road-bed, the track is in very good adjustment. As a whole the division shows considerable improvement.

Rochester Division,

From Hinsdale junction to Rochester, and a branch road connecting with the New York Central, at Lincoln Park. There are but two miles of iron rail left on this division, and this is in fair condition. The steel rail is in good order, and recently the fastenings have been changed on sharp curves from fish-bars to angle-plates. This work was in progress at the time of inspection, and adds much to the strength and safety of joints, especially on abrupt curves. As a further precaution, both rails are strongly braced, and caution signs warn enginemen to reduce speed while passing over such curves. Each of the openings were carefully examined. There are eighteen Howe truss bridges from one to seven spans each. These have been built about four or five years, and the timber shows little if any loss of strength. Bridge 17 consists of two spans of low Howe truss, resting upon oak pile abutments and pier. The remaining truss bridges have masonry substructures and all have a strong floor system. Bridge 9, of eighty feet span, has additional truss rods at first panel point. Each of the pile and trestle bridges, nine in number, having from six to forty-five bays each, was examined and found in good order. They have a good floor system. An eight feet span water-way, lately rebuilt, has first-class masonry abutments, I-beam girders and standard floors. Several short openings have been rebuilt, and others where masonry is defective will be rebuilt this season. A few of the cattle-guards have a good floor system, but generally the rail is spiked on the stringers. On portions of the division the sleepers are in poor condition and should be renewed. The road-bed generally should have a coating of gravel, the tracks lightly raised and well lined and surfaced; especially is such the case on the southerly end where, at a number of points, the track was quite rough. On the Portage grade and portions of the north end of the road, the superstructure is in better order. Weeds and brush have not been cut, owing to the inability of the light force of section men to do more than keep the superstructure in safe condition. Houghton, Fillmore, Portage and Cuylerville have new passenger stations of good design, well furnished, and with water closets connecting with the buildings. Cuba, Belfast, Caneadea, Tuscarora, Mt. Morris, Pifford, York and Scottsville have good station buildings, and with two exceptions were found neatly kept. Black Creek, Rockwell and Fowlerville have very poor passenger accommodations. The others, excepting Oramel, which is a private building, are flag stations. At Rochester, an old building, formerly a dwelling, is used for a terminal depot. It is entirely unfit for the purpose. Generally this division shows little, if any improvement, except the new station buildings. The bridges are in good order, but the maintenance of superstructure is not as good as when last inspected. Of the whole system in New York the same must be said. The work of renewals and repairs do not appear to keep pace with the ravages of wear and time, but every effort is made to keep the road in safe condition by the officers of the line.

THOS. W. SPENCER, C. E., Inspector R. R. Com.

BUFFALO, N. Y., November 2, 1886.

DEAR SIR-Reply to yours of the 25th October would have been made more promptly had I not been absent on inspection. Since you passed over the Buffalo division, the

track generally has been brought to surface line and gauge, and is now much improved. Over ten thousand ties have been put in the track from State line to Buffalo. Portville culvert has been rebuilt. Ischua culvert has been reinforced, and timber on ground to rebuild. The Hiusdale culvert repaired. Ischua gravel pit open culvert repaired where stringers were burned. At Humphrey's siding, two culverts repaired. North of Franklinville station stringers replaced with heavier stringers. New stone culvert near Napiers that you saw building is completed and filled over. Bridge 35, that was replaced with temporary trestle, is now an iron girder. (See strain sheet sent to Commission.) Near Machias, two culverts rebuilt. Wooley culvert, between Machias and Yorkshire, rebuilt. Two small openings replaced by oak plank boxes and filled up. Cattle-guards at county line road repaired. Cattle-guard at Arcade filled up. Between Arcade and Sardinia Junction, repaired. Trestle at Steele, near Protection, filled up and banks in this vicinity widened. The ditches that were filled at this point have been opened. Between Protection and Holland, two culverts repaired. Between Holland and Wales, two culverts repaired. At Wales station, two timber culverts and two cattle-guards repaired. Between Wales and Aurora, three culverts repaired. Between Aurora and Buffalo, one trestle filled; six pipe culverts put in, in place of timber openings, and the openings filled up. Five trestles near Buffalo creek repaired with new stringers and ties on white oak piles, and timber on the ground for further rebuilding and repairs between State line and Buffalo.

On the Rochester and Pittsburgh division, the track force has been increased, many ties put in, and the track is generally in better condition than when you passed over it. Yours very truly, R. D. MCCREARY, Engineer M. W.

BUFFALO, ROCHESTER AND PITTSBURGH RAILROAD,

Formerly the Rochester and Pittsburgh, and as such was last inspected in September, 1884, and reported by the Commissioners that year. The present outline of the road remains the same as previously reported.

Commencing at Rochester the line to Salamanca, or rather Bradford Junction, was given a close examination, it being much the older road. Between the Junction and Salamanca, about one and one-third miles was omitted, there being upon that portion but one opening of moment, and that one in good order. The balance of the road to the Pennsylvania State line, near Bradford, is of later, and the branch from Ashford Junction to Buffalo Creek Junction, of quite recent construction. They were inspected with sufficient detail to observe any defects in maintenance or failure of structure.

Between Rochester and Salamanca there are about 115 openings of moment; these aggregate a length of about two miles, only a small portion of which is truss bridging, the remainder being pile and trestle openings, many of which could be filled after providing suitable culverts for passage of water. The filling of two trestles has been partly done, but the work was discontinued. The bridging and trestles found defective when last inspected have been rebuilt or repaired, and those found in poor condition this year are much less in the amount of repairs necessary to be made. The truss bridging is in good condition, except some of the iron trusses south of Ashford Junction, which should be repainted. Bridge 109, formerly a through Howe truss, 138 feet span, in poor condition, is now a pin-connected iron truss, and the south abutment has been rebuilt. South of Maplewood is a three bay timber structure with one bent of three piles; the piles are in poor order, and one at least should be replaced. North of bridge No. 12 is a cattle-guard and waterway, which is too old and should be renewed. A two-span waterway south of Mumford, having a good masonry substructure, has ties in flooring which are unfit and should be replaced with new, and a six-feet span cattle pass has one stringer nearly useless by reason of decay. North of Le Roy are a number of openings having ties which are much too poor. Bridge No. 25, south of Le Roy, is in like condition. Bridge No. 30 has one old bent at the north end, and bridge No. 31 has stringers which are too old. Bridge No. 33 has one stringer too old, and the ties of No. 34 should be renewed. Bridge No. 35 was being rebuilt when inspected, and bridge No. 36 is to be repaired. Bridge No. 87 is in very poor life. Bridge No. 29, a trestle 300 feet long and forty-five feet high, has one very poor main post, and some of the stringers should be renewed. Bridge No. 47, two fifteen-feet spans of pile bridge, should have new stringers and ties. Bridge No. 50 is in the same condition, except that the ties are good; a cattle pass south of it should be rebuilt. Bridge No. 55 is in good condition, except that the ties are poor. Bridge No. 65, a twelve-feet span waterway, has stringers which are too old. Bridge No. 70 has bents that show great age. Bridge No. 74 has some too old timber. Most of the foregoing are from eight to eleven years old, and are either pile or trestle bridges, or girder spans of single or double openings. Between Bradford Junction and the State line they are all in strong life and build. The high trestle south of Carrollton, with bents out of perpendicular, has been repaired.

The fencing as a whole is in about the same condition as before reported. Considerable ballasting has been done within the past two years, and the ditches along the road-bed are generally well opened; a number of cuttings, however, are deficient in this respect. The roadway is kept fairly clean of weeds and brush, and some portions are very neat, and the old material removed or burned, making an attractive roadway.

Between Rochester and Warsaw the sleepers are, at many points, too old in life, and larger renewals are necessary. South of Warsaw they are in better general condition, and from Ashford Junction to the State line the ties are in good order.

Since the last inspection almost the entire remaining iron rail has been replaced with steel, and at this time but two or three miles remain. A number of sidings have been lengthened to accommodate the growing business of the road, and point switches are taking the place of those of the stub pattern. Signs for guiding enginemen, and mile posts, have been provided.

North of Ashford Junction the maintenance of line and surface at many points is very ordinary, owing in part to the want of sufficient ballast and the sleepers being too old, and in part to the limited number of sectionmen employed. The effect on the rail is rapidly showing itself. South of Ashford a much better track adjustment exists; but here, also, there is great need of ballast.

Each of the station buildings was examined and found to be cleanly and generally in good order, and fairly furnished.

Buffalo Branch,

From Ashford Junction to Buffalo Creek Junction. This portion of the road is about three years old. It has very little masonry, all the openings being trestle and pile bridges, except the large viaduct spanning the valley of Cattaraugus creek. During the present season additional bents have been driven at the end of trestles to better uphold the ends of stringers which were built resting upon mud sills in the embankments, and the embankments continually shrinking, made it a constant work to keep a properly surfaced approach to the bridge floors. All the piling and trestle work are strongly built and in sound condition. Bridge No. 45, a through Howe truss, is in good order and has good pile abutments. The long iron viaduct over Cattaraugus creek resting upon very high iron piers, has been improved by covering the masonry pedestals with a thick coating of beton by Dr. Goodrich, protecting such of them as had been affected by the water and frost. All sharp curves, and there are a number of them at the south end of this branch quite abrupt, are strongly braced, and the soft wood ties are now almost entrely replaced with oak sleepers. The surface and line of track is generally very well maintained, and the roadway neatly kept. The stations were inspected and found in good order. At Springville there is a very neat station, having two waiting rooms well furnished, and the yard is embellished with tasty flower beds and well-kept lawns. Oak Orchard is also well and neatly maintained, and also has flower beds and lawns. At West Seneca a new station and depot has been provided to accommodate a cemetery used by the citizens of Buffalo. This also has pleasant surroundings, and is well suited for its intended purpose. At Buffalo Creek Junction the road of same name is used to its junction with the Central-Hudson road at East Buffalo, and thence to Exchange Street depot of the latter road.

In general the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh railroad property is in reasonably good condition. The large amount of timber work requires constant care to keep it in proper condition, which as a whole appears to be done. All highway-crossing signs, except in one or two instances, were found in place. The through truss bridges south of Ashford Junction have the upper tie members so low as to hardly clear trainmen on high box cars. It is suggested that warnings be placed at any such obstruction as shall by measurement be below the height established in the circular issued by the Commissioners.

The engines and coaches of this company are very well maintained. Such of the passenger cars as could be readily seen, were examined and found in good order, cleanly and well painted.

CLOVE BRANCH RAILROAD.

The Clove Branch railroad extends from a junction with the New York, Dutchess and Connecticut railroad to Sylvan Lake, a distance of four and one-quarter mules, and from Sylvan Lake to Clove Valley, a further distance of four miles, and is operated under a lease from the trustees of the New York, Boston and Montreal Railway Company. The road is mostly used for the transportation of iron ore from mines at Sylvan Lake. There is also a little traffic in passengers and farm produce. For the business of the road it is very well maintained, and a careful inspection revealed no defects that could reasonably be considered as objectionable. The rail is iron, secured with fish-bars at ends, and laid with broken joints. It is very well fenced with posts and boards, and the roadway was found neatly kept. As a whole the ties are in fair condition, and renewals where necessary were being made. South of Sylvan Lake is used solely by freight trains, and that only once each way daily, and the maintenance of superstructure was found quite ordinary. The openings have good masonry superstructures. South of Andes is atwelve feet span waterway, lately overhauled and provided with a standard floor. At Sylvan Lake is another like structure in good condition. There are three truss bridges as follows: Over Fishkill creek is a low through Howe truss, eighty feet span, the timber of which is in good life. It has a strong bridge floor. Over a stream is a Queen truss, forty feet span; some of the truss members are sap rotten, but it is in fair condition otherwise, and has a standard floor. The last bridge is an A-truss in good condition. One or two short openings have open floors. All highway crossings have caution signs, and there are no low overhead obstructions. At Sylvan Lake the curves are quite abrupt, but they are well braced. The gradients of road-bed are considerably undulating Generally the track was found in reasonably good adjustment. The station buildings are quite small, and at none are tickets sold.

DELAWARE AND HUDSON CANAL Co.'s RAILROADS.

The last inspection of the railroads operated in this State by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company was made in October, 1884, and reported in the first volume of the Commissioners' Reports for that year. The present inspection was made in considerable detail, except some of the branch lines, which were examined from the rear of regular trains, which did not afford opportunity for critical inspection.

The Utica, Clinton and Binghamton, and the Rome and Clinton_railroads have recently been transferred to the New York, Ontario and Western Railway Company, and were not inspected.

Binghamton to Albany.

As before, the inspection began at Binghamton, the westerly terminus of the Albany and Susquehanna railroad. This road is double-tracked between Nineveh and Sidney, Oneonta and Colliersville, and East Worcester and Quaker Street. On these portions the grade has been improved and nearly all the trestle work replaced with excellent masonry and mostly iron bridges and girders. The road-bed has been reballasted, and both tracks brought to an excellent condition. A number of miles of new steel rails have been laid this season between East Worcester and Cobleskill. The sleepers are as a whole strongly maintained. Near East Worcester the ties of one track appears to be too old, the rail has cut deeply into them, and on curves evidence of respiking shows that the ties will not hold the track firmly in gauge.

Between Binghamton and Nineveh considerable improvements have been made, the most noticeable being the new iron bridge near Harperville, where at the last inspection there were two 180 feet spans of wooden deck Post truss. The masonry of this structure has been relaid, and there is now one span of plate girder deck, and two long spans of deck riveted lattice, well constructed. The whole has a standard floor. There has been some reballasting on this part of the line; much more however appears necessary to be done, particularly near Osborne Hollow. Generally the road-bed is of ample width; one or two points only, on embankments, were noticed as too narrow, one of which was on a curve. These narrow banks occur where the track has been recently raised in ballasting. Considerable ditching in cuttings is necessary for a proper drainage of road-bed.

Bridge No. 105, a Howe truss deck over a highway east of Osborne Hollow, is very old and has four bents under it. Bridge No. 104 is a new plate girder deck over a highway, and has a standard floor and abutments of strong masonry; it formerly was a truss of iron rails. Bridge No. 102, an under farm crossing, consisting of five bays of trestle, is in strong life of timber, but the flooring has ties too widely spaced, and there are no guard rails. Watchmen are stationed at all wooden structures, and water barrels provided. East of the tunnel is a thirty feet span straining beam deck truss, (No. 101) covered. It has one decayed floor beam. Reference is made to the strain sheets furnished by the company, as the structure looks light in truss rods. The bridge has good abutments, the ties are none too closely spaced; it has no guard rails, and is located on a curve. Bridge No. 100, an iron riveted lattice deck, of about ninety feet span, is well floored and painted. Bridge No. 81, is a double intersected riveted lattice, through truss of three spans. The lower chords have a bottom plate that holds water. There is danger of corrosion, and drain holes should be provided. Bridges Nos. 78, 77 and 76, are single openings of about twelve feet span. An abutment of one of these is broken and falling, but is well shored. Where track has this season been raised in reballasting, the stringers of minor openings have also been raised, and frequently the blocking between wall plates or masonry and the track stringers is crudely done with small pieces of board, or ties, placed on top of each other. Noth ing was observed as really unsafe, but liable to become so. It would be better to raise the masonry to conform with the raised superstructure, or provide a more substantial blocking. A cattle pass west of Oneonta, has broken and falling masonry, it is now shored up, but should be rebuilt or filled up. No. 62 is a Warren girder deck; it wants painting. No. 45 is an old timber trestle of three spans, that requires to be renewed. East of Knowersville, bridge No. 17, a ten feet span waterway, has poor masonry, and west of same place is a cattle pass of about the same span, in like condition. The stringers are supported by bents inside of abutments. Bridge No. 13, east of Guilderland, is a very old trestle, crudely blocked up, so much so as to largly reduce the waterway; the structure is about thirty feet in length and should be rebuilt. No. 12 is an old Howe truss, thirty feet span, resting upon bents, one of which leans sideways; it should also be rebuilt. There is no masonry at these two last mentioned structures. Bridge No. 8 is a deck Howe truss, about thirty feet span, covered. The timber is in good life but the truss rods appear light. Reference is made to the strain-sheets furnished by the company. Bridge No. 4 is an under farm crossing with masonry broken and falling; it is shored up.

The foregoing enumerates nearly all the defective structures, and is certainly a great improvement over the general condition when last inspected. Nearly all the cattle guards and single span openinge have iron girders, either of rolled beams, riveted plate, or of iron rails riveted together, or held in place with cast iron sockets resting upon wall plates. There are only three wooden truss bridges remaining; all the others are of iron, mostly of recent construction. There are six truss rod girders, and twenty-five trestle and pile

bridges of three to ten bays each, and a few iron rail trusses. As a whole the bridging is in commendable condition, and the structures found defective in life of material, or condition of masonry, are small, and could readily, and should, be renewed.

The roadway and superstructure are in good order, and line and surface of track well maintained, the whole showing improvement. The floor system adopted, or at least largely prevailing, except that of very recent construction, does not provide for a guard rail at ends of ties sufficiently large to hold a derailed wheel in line of rail, nor are inside guard rails used except in one or two instances.

Albany, Whitehall and Rouse's Point.

All steel rail, excepting a few miles between Plattsburgh and Rouse's Point. A large outlay of money and labor since the last inspection is evident. The road between Coons junction and Ballston junction has been double tracked, making a double line of rails from Albany to Saratoga, except between the junctions at Green Island and Waterford. North of West Troy depot is a thirty-feet span plate girder deck bridge, the south end resting upon bents, the abutment being defective. The ties on bridge floor are too widely spaced. At Green Island junction stub switches are used on both tracks out of main line; safetyswitches should be substituted. The bridge over the Hudson River between Green Island and Troy, carrying a double-track railroad and double roadway and sidewalk, is of the best construction. The four spans adjoining Green Island are of older build, and have plates on bottom of lower chords, forming a channel. Water, mould, dust, and consequent corrosion, accumulate in these channels, and drain-holes should be made at intervals through bottom plate, and channel kept clean of cinders or any thing that will hold moisture. Other than this, and one or two minor defects, the entire structure is in excellent condition.

The road from Green Island to Waterford junction is single track. Crossing from Green to Adams Island, over an arm of the Mohawk river, are four through 100-feet spans of high Howe truss, eighteen feet six inches between trusses, which allows for a wagon road beside the track. The truss rods of these spans have been reinforced by rods placed outside of trusses with an oak saddle or gib above and below the chords. These saddles are split, and rods unequally strained. Iron channel bars are suggested in place of the wooden saddles. The roadway is a private farm crossing for one or more land owners, and has elements of danger, in that there is no fence or guard rail between the roadway and track. A team meeting a train would be very likely to attempt to turn around, which cannot be done except by obstructing the track or falling into the river. A proper barrier between the track and the roadway is suggested.

Bridge 15, from Adams to Van Schaick's Island, a through Howe truss, with roadway alongside of track, has no barrier between. The bridge is old, decay has commenced in some of the lower chord members; truss rods partly reinforced, and additional rods at hand; many new ties are wanted in floor. Bridge 16, between Van Schaick's Island and the mainland, consists of two new fixed spans, through and pin-connected trusses and a riveted lattice draw over channel, all in good condition. The south approach is a newlyconstructed trestle bridge. There is also a roadway alongside the track crossing this structure, with a high board fence between, forming an effective barrier. Bridge 17 is a fifteen feet span stringer bridge; timbers old, and new material at hand. The sleepers between the Green Island shops and Waterford are many of them very small in size, and quite too old in life, especially on curves. The general line and surface of track is in fair order. A number of shade trees within the roadway are too near the track, and should be removed, not only at this point, but throughout the entire line of the company; wherever obstructions arise they should be blown down. Telegraph poles are frequently noticed as too near the line of rails, not only on this, but mostly every railroad in the State. While they are not as liable to be thrown across the track as a tree in full foliage, yet they have obstructed trains and accidents have occurred. It would be on the side of safety to keep them sufficiently away from the rails. From Waterford Junction to Saratoga the double tracks are in excellent condition, and one track between Coons and Ballston Junction is quite new. The main line is nearly all strongly tied, and for quite the greater part well ballasted and ditched and the road-bed and way neatly kept, weeds, brush and grass being closely cut to boundary lines. It is advised that more care be taken to keep the ends of iron and wood-girders and bridge seats free from dirt and accumulations of litter, weeds and grass, as such are liable to corrode iron and decay timber. There has been a consid. erable renewal of steel on this portion of the road during the present season. Many struc tures of iron and of wood have been built, taking the place of timber or iron rail girders. Crossing Kayaderosseras creek is a three truss riveted lattice of two spans, in good condition, having a standard floor, as have all bridge floors of recent construction. The pier of this structure has been undermined and is now being rebuilt. North of Saratoga the main lane and branches are single track. Seventeen miles of new steel rail has been laid from Fort Edward south, and the track newly ballasted. Near Gansevoort Station, in changing rails, a number of places were noticed where omission had been made in spiking to all the t es, an oversight that will probably receive attention. Five successive ties were thus noticed at one place on the outside of rai! and outside of curve. The small openings and cattle-guards have either old iron rail or timber stringers closely tied, and in some in.