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Meager ballast in places and decayed ties. A good many instances were found where the ditches have been opened, but not few places were also seen needing considerable attention. Some attention evidently has been paid to the removal of grass, weeds and brush, though considerable was noted of long standing. The traffic upon this line is not great. Two trains each way daily attend to the business. Notwithstanding this fact this line should be maintained properly. Crossing plank, while generally very fairly maintained, were found in a number of instances needing renewal at once. Warning signs at grade crossings were noted in conspicuous locations and fairly maintained, though a number were in need of paint. A few extra trackmen should be employed to place this line in proper condition for the winter. Considerable renewal is necessary upon the wooden structures, of which there are quite a number. An effort should be made to fill where possible and place iron and masonry at many of the openings. Some of the bents in trestles have reached the limit of age and strength and should be renewed without delay. The stringers are nearly if not quite all yellow pine and in fair life still. Near milepost 16 C. is a fifty-foot deck plate girder with T-abutments; has good floor system and the guards. Not a little of the masonry at small openings need relaying with larger stone; some of it is very poor and crumbling. Not a few of the minor openings could with little expense be made permanent by filling and placing iron pipe or solid rail floors. It is suggested that if this branch is to continue in operation it should be brought up to the condition of the other spur lines. The passenger stations were found. neat and clean. Sharon station needs better baggage accommodations. The high, narrow and unroofed platform opposite the station building is not adequate.

Chazy Junction to Province Line.

This line is single track, standard gauge and fifteen miles long. One train each way daily answers the business. The rail is old and well worn. Stub switches were mostly noted, and effort is to be made to replace with those of the point pattern, if new rail is laid. Four men and foreman attend to sections of seven miles in extent. The sleeper life on much of the line was found fair, though too many ties were in condition needing renewal at once. While it is not expected that this line is to be maintained equal to the main line, yet sufficient attention should be given it to positively insure safety and comfort in passing over it. An effort should be made to place the substructures in roadbed in good condition. Considerable of the masonry needs attention. The openings in roadbed are not many. The floors were found in strong life. The open cattle guards have T-rail stringers. Near Chazy junction was noted a twelve-foot opening having stringers of yellow pine: I-beams were on the ground to go in. Considerable brush should be removed, and attention given to keep the right of way tidy. The adjustment of track is as good as could be expected, considering the lack of good ballast in places, and general attention given the roadbed. Bridge No. 66 is about a twelve-foot half through plate girder, good floor, masonry open and poor. No 67 is a deck plate girder, short spans, also having poor masonry. Near Moore's junction are two seventy-five-foot spans of through plate girder over stream; all appear well but the masonry, which should be given attention. The passenger stations were found neat and clean; the building at Sciota is

new.

Plattsburgh to Ausable.

This line is standard gauge, single track, laid with fifty six-pound iron (some of it twenty-four years old) for eighteen miles, and two miles of sixty-two-pound steel rails. Owing to the enlargement of the barracks, upon government land at Plattsburgh, the line will be shortened somewhat, so as not to encroach upon United States property. Sixty-two-pound steel rails will be laid upon the modified line. This work was in progress upon day of inspection. The sleeper renewals this year have averaged about 400 per mile, made up of chestnut, yellow pine, oak and tamarack. The curvature upon this line is closely seventy-five per cent. There is but little traffic, and the rails are in fair condition considering age. The road is very well tied, closely spaced, fair cross section and in strong life. The ballast material is generally, in fact most entirely, the native sandy soil. The road is well graded, and with the exception of a few cuts, the ditches are well open. The fences should receive attention, though generally are up in a good state of maintenance. The clearance posts at switches where cars are liable to stand, were, as a rule, found in place. Some of the cuts should be cleaned; sliding material is too near the track. The embankments being largely of light sandy loam soil are held nearly intact by paving with old ties as a protection against the winds and sliding. Switch targets need paint. The highway warning signs were noted up fairly. The whistle and mileposts were found up in good condition. There is only one train each way daily. Stub switches abound. Too many bolts and spikes were noted loose and missing. The fastenings at rail joints are made of chairs and fish plates mostly. The adjustment of track is of course ordinary, because of old rails and poor ballast. The right of way is generally well kept, neat and clean. The small openings are nearly all spanned by rail stringers with good floors. The masonry along the line needs considerable attention. This work should not be delayed. The tie guards in many instances were noted quite poor. Bridge No. 53 is a trestle of nine bays, twelve feet center to center of caps, over the Little Ausable; the tie guards are poor. Water for protection against fire should be maintained upon it. No. 55 is a trestle 250 feet long and over a highway; bolts were found loose, posts decayed, and not in very good condition. It is about twenty feet high; new blocking has been placed under sills. This, with the one above, should be filled without delay. Last year the line was extended three and one-half miles to Ausable Forks. The line is graded now and rail is to be laid next year. Cast-iron pipes should be placed at a good many of the small openings and filling accomplished. The passenger stations were found in fair condition. Ausable Station is now called Rogers, but will probably be abandoned. New rail is talked of.

Baldwin Branch.

This line is single track, standard gauge, five miles long, laid with sixty-two-pound steel rail from main line, and extends from the main line near Fort Ticonderoga to Baldwin at Lake George. The steepest grade is 135 feet per mile for perhaps one mile. The switch targets need paint. Considerable cast-iron pipe was noted scattered along line to place in small openings. Stub switches prevail. This branch was constructed in 1875. The fastenings at joints are made up of angles and fish plates. Some 1,400 feet of new siding was noted, laid in 1892. The fences were found broken and down to some extent, though the greater distance is well maintained. The warning signs were up good. Posts were noted up along the line good. The station at the upper falls has been abandoned. Point switches have been placed at the new sidings. A new deck plate girder was noted over the outlet, three spans of forty-eight feet each, with good floor and masonry.

Castleton Branch.

This line extends from Whitehall to the State line of Vermont, as inspected, but its end properly is Rutland, Vt. It is single track, standard gauge, five miles in State, and laid with sixty-seven pound steel rails. The sleeper life was found very strong and the ballast fair. The warning signs were found up, well painted, and in conspicuous positions. The cattle guards are of iron slats, well maintained. Crossing plank were noted needed in not a few instances, though generally they were found strong and well laid. The track adjustment is good, and bolts and spikes well attended to. The ditches have recently been well opened and the right of way well cleaned up. At milepost R. 21, a rock cut was noted needing attention, loose fragments should be removed. Some 1,700 feet of new siding was noted near milepost R. 20. There have been four openings covered with T-rail flooring since 1890, the last reported inspection. The fences were found up in good form. The deck bridge over Poultney creek needs paint; otherwise it appears in good condition. No. 72, over Wood creek, is a through pin connected truss erected in 1885, and is now in good condition. The through pony truss, over the Champlain canal, is floored solid and in good form. This line is very well maintained. Grass, weeds and brush were well cleaned away.

Eagle Bridge and Washington Branch.

This line is single track, standard gauge. Laid with sixty-two-pound steel rails, and extends from Castleton, in the State of Vermont, to Eagle Bridge, this State, where connection is made with the Fitchburg railroad. The inspection began at the State line (some ten miles south of Castleton) and extended in this State ten miles, then twelve miles in Vermont were passed over, and the State line again reached, when twenty-two and three-quarter miles were again inspected to Eagle Bridge. The ballast is of very good material, however. Places were noted quite slack on shoulders, and also between rails. The sleeper life is very strong, and very few ties were noted too ripe. The bolts and spikes receive careful attention, and the track adjustment was noted good, as a whole. The warning signs were found up and well painted. The cattle guards and cross fences, as well as the fences along the right of way, were noted in good condition. Grass, weeds and brush were well removed. Eighteen miles of ballast has been placed, since 1890, in this State. Eight split-point switches have been placed this year. Crossing plank were noted generally good, but too many were found needing renewal. Twelve small openings in the roadbed have been covered with solid floors of T-rails since 1891. There are a few "stubs" yet, but these will be removed in the near future, it is said. Posts were noted up well, some of the clearance posts were covered, and should have ends elevated above ground. Ramapo stands have been placed at all new point switches. This whole road has been relined with instrument since 1891.

Some twenty-two cattle guards, of the "pit" kind, have been filled since 1890. A large gravel bed of good material was noted near milepost E. B. 15, sixty acres in extent. A noticeable feature of all the floor systems, upon this company's roads, is that every tie is spiked. A few of the roads, in the State, only spike every other or second tie, and some, less frequently. Every tie should be spiked, if the rail is expected to remain in a safe position and assist in holding the superstructure staunch during the passage of trains. Bridge No. 92 is a new structure erected in 1892; should be painted. The masonry is also new, and excellently laid of large, sound, durable stone. The tie guards upon many of the smaller openings should be renewed. No. 99 is a new deck plate girder, erected since the last inspection. No. 101 is a through plate girder fifty-foot span, over creek, and seven years old; needs paint. Guard rails were found missing upon many of the short openings. No. 105 are two spans of through plate girders, six years old, eighty feet each, over the Battenkill, all in good condition except painting. Bridge No. 108 needs new floor. Quite a few of the open cattle guards should receive repairs. All the metal superstructures appear in very good form and condition. All the masonry constructed in recent years is good. The passenger stations appear in good condition. Some repairs were needed at Cambridge upon platform. Salem station building needs paint and water-closet accommodations, as do some others, upon this and other branches.

Caldwell Branch.

Ten

The

This branch was built in 1881, is standard gauge, single track, laid with sixty-two and sixty-seven-pound steel rails, and fifteen miles long. Considerable traffic is carried on, particularly in the summer. passenger trains run each way daily, and in the winter five trains each way. This line, in 1891, was very much bettered, and several curves modified and new structures erected. The sleeper life was noted good generally, though occasionally poor ties were found in isolated spots. They are laid close together and of fair cross sections, well spiked, and the joints were noted well cared for. It was said some 600 tie renewals per mile were made this year. switches are all of the safety "split-point" pattern. The targets need paint; whistle, clearance, section and mileposts were noted up, and in good condition. Through Glens Falls debris was noted along the track and yard. The officials informed your inspector that it would be cleared up immediately. The crossing plank along the line was found well maintained, but in many places should be renewed. The ballast is fair, though slack in places. Considerable material will be placed next year. The roadbed is well graded, and in the general sense, the entire line is well cared for. The warning signs were found up in good condition, and in plain view. The cattle slats (wooden) and cross fences were noticed well cared for, whitewashed and quite trim. There has been no ballast material placed of moment since 1890. The track adjustment has been given considerable attention. The ditches have been opened and graded nicely, though some work of this nature is still needed to properly drain the roadbed. The grass, weeds and brush have been given proper attention. The switch guard rails, opposite frogs particularly, were found fairly-well braced and spiked. The fences along this property are generally in good repair. The inspection began at Caldwell. The passenger stations were found in good state of maintenance. The station at Caldwell has ample accommodations for summer travel. The building was erected in 1882, and is of modern design. The Sandy Hill station is small, needs repairs upon doorsteps and painting. All were found neat and clean. At Fort Edward the station building needs repairs on roof, and should be painted. One hundred and twenty-five feet per mile is the maximum grade for about three miles. Four minor openings have been covered over with solid T-rail flooring since 1890. Near milepost No. 63 A. was a sixty-foot trestle; is now filled all but twelve feet, and I-beams placed upon good quality of well-laid s one since 1890. The open cattle guards and drainage openings have T-rail stringers mostly, and with the exception of a few floors noted needing renewals, were found well cared for. A considerable number of the small openings are next year to be filled and pipes placed. A large number of I-beam girders were noted, and all found in good condition; they were placed six years ago. The through 100-foot riveted truss bridge over the Glens Falls feeder was found in apparent good condition. A sixty-foot trestle near has been filled all but an opening ten feet wide, which has been covered with rail. No. 49 is a ten-foot I-beam opening. The masonry is quite poor, small and broken; an arch should be placed at this point. No. 48 is a deck plate girder bridge, forty-foot span; masonry new and good. In Fort Edward the bridging over the canal appears in good form. Next year considerable is to be accomplished in the items of ballast, masonry and painting.

Saratoga to Albany, Main Line.

From Saratoga to Coons junction is laid with sixty-seven-pound steel rails, Coons junction to Waterford junction eighty-pound steel and from this latter junction to Albany, eighty-pound steel. All of this thirty-nine miles is double tracked. From Coons to Ballston the tracks have been raised about four inches with good gravel ballast. The tie renewals this year will average 500 per mile. The Hall rail circuit, block-signal system has been erected. The blocks average one mile. Satisfaction was expressed by the officials of its workings up to date. A trial through the winter period, however, with blinding snowstorms, sleet and intense cold, rain and the like will give better reasons for full judgment. It appears simple in its workings, and quite positive upon day of inspection; if safe is very economical. One of the disks near mile post A. 35 is too much in the shade to be seen plainly. Should be moved out of the woods. The adjustment of track upon this line is extra. The sleeper life is exceptionally strong. Ties are closely spaced and of large section. The grass, weeds and brush are kept