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down and the right of way appears neat and orderly. The warning signs were found in good life of paint and conspicuously situated. Some seven electric bells were placed very recently at as many grade crossings. The cattle guards are mostly of slat iron, and with fences were found well maintained. The property is fenced well and repairs frequently made. Fences are in good condition. The highway grade crossing plank were generally found in good condition though attention is called to a number of places where the timber is too old or worn out. Great attention is evidently given the item of ditches, for the drainage upon this line is good. Switch targets need paint badly in a number of instances, and not a few need repairs in yards and out. An effort should be made to obtain a red paint that will not quickly turn a pinkish-white, as many of these do. The switches are very well maintained as a rule; a few of the stand timbers were noted a little too old or in not the best position. Whistle, clearance, crossing, section and mileposts were all noted in good form and well maintained. All of the smail openings in the roadbed have stringers of old T-rail resting upon very good masonry; a number will, no doubt, be piped and filled next year. The two sixty feet each deck lattice girders over the Kyoderosess creek have new masonry of excellent quality and laid by good workmen. This is true of all of this company's more recent stone work. Extra care is taken in employing only the best masons and in building all substructures of the best stone obtainable. Not one poor floor was found upon this line; every span is of iron or steel. Too much care can not be taken in keeping bridge seats and lower chords free from dirt, cinders and the like. Standing orders require employes to do this work, yet it is a little neglected. It is quite important that trusses, girders and I-beams be kept free from rust. The officials know this and give orders accordingly, but somehow many times it escapes attention too long. Near West Troy station is a small masonry opening which needs attention. The spans of trusses and girders in all the large bridges appear in very good condition. Some of the minor openings will, it is said, be covered with solid rail flooring next year. The passenger stations are all maintained in good condition and neat, except the need of paint, notably Waterford station.

Mechanicville Branch.

This line is ten miles long, standard gauge, single track, laid with old sixty-two-pound steel rails (twelve years old), and extends parallel with Fitchburg railroad and quite close to it a number of miles. The inspection began at Coons junction. This line is utilized for freight traffic largely. One coach is run at end of a freight once a day. This branch is well maintained; fences are up well, highway grade crossing signs in good position and well painted, whistle, clearance, section and mile-posts up in good condition; switches well attended to. A number of targets need paint. Ditches are well cleaned and graded. The sleeper life is very good though a few at odd places were noted needing renewal. The ballast material is fair and the roadbed is in good condition. The track adjustment is good considering age of rail. Bolts and spikes were found ample in numbers and well in place. Grass, weeds and brush have been nicely cut and renewed. All of the minor openings were found in good condition. T-rail stringers prevail and the substructures have received recent attention. Quite a few could be railed over, and solid roadbed made over them. Iron work needs paint. Near milepost, 5 M. are two lattice spans and two deck plate girder spans, total length 130 feet; was reinforced two years ago. All of the bridge floors were found in strong life and ties closely spaced and each with spikes. The stations are small, frame, and neatly kept.

Troy Branch.

This line is seven miles long, and laid with sixty-seven pound steelrail, five years old, single track, standard gauge, and has considerable cinder ballast. Two bridges have been erected since 1891. The sleepers are somewhat small but close together and in general strong life. The track adjustment is very good and the joints are supported by two ties, four bolts in angle bars. The spiking is good. The switches are of the point style, and are well maintained. The targets need paint; grade-crossing plank good. The warning signs are in plain view and well painted. Considerable cleaning and grading has been accomplished in the item of ditches, and the track shows the good effects of it. Fences are, as a rule, well up, and considerable attention is given them. Whistle, clearance, section and mileposts were noted well maintained. The bridging over the Mohawk river was found in good form, and masonry in strong stable condition The floor system was found closely spaced and in good life. The half-mile branch, laid with sixty-sevenpound steel rail from West Troy to Green Island, has three spans of new work this year; one of through riveted lattice, 100 feet; a through plate girder of eighty-five feet, and a deck plate girder, fifty-six feet. Besides there is a thirty feet deck plate girder, with bent under, at present waiting to be reinforced.

Quaker Street (now Delanson) to Schenectady.

This line is fifteen miles in extent, laid with eighty-pound steel rail, standard gauge. Heavy rail was laid in 1891, and track raised twelve inches with good ballast material. There have been six small openings renewed since 1890, with new masonry of extra quality, and iron rail stringers. About two miles of new fence have also been erected. The ties consist of yellow pine, oak and chestnut. Six thousand ties have been placed this year. They will average nearly seventeen per rail length and are of good cross section. Some poor ties decayed and worn were noted. A sag, two miles long, was taken out about two years ago. While large quantities of ballast have been placed as mentioned above, some places were noted needing considerable more. Cinder ballast was found to quite an extent. The signs at highway grade crossings, to warn the public, were noted in good form position and paint. The cattle guards receive prompt attention as shown by their condition upon day of inspection More attention is suggested in the item of ditches; while they were found attended to in many instances, yet some were noticed, where if opened well, great good would result to the track. The fences were noted well maintained. Plank upon crossings were found needing renewal. Brush and weeds were noted somewhat luxuriant in growth, though having been cut twice this year. Whistle, clearance, section and mileposts were noted up well. Switches, all of the "split-point" pattern, are well maintained. Many of the targets need paint. The thirty-foot deck plate girder, near Delanson, over creek, and six years old, has good masonry though of the old construction. Near milepost S. 10, are two spans of deck plate girders, twentyfive feet each, in good form. The pier was new in 1892, over creek. Abutments about twelve years old, but apparently in good condition. The viaducts look well, and are in good line and surface. Nothing was noted, in the time allowed, needing repair or attention, except paint. No. 13+ is thirteen bays, about twelvefoot "centers" with yellow-pine stringers, sills covered so inspection of them could not be made. The structure, as far as could be seen, appeared in fair life, but, if possible, it should be filled without delay. Near milepost S. 5, four bays of trestle were noted, about six years old, with yellow-pine stringers and in fair condition; this should be filled. Officials informed your inspector these trestles will probably be filled next year. The through plate girder at overhead crossing of the New York Central and Hudson River railroad is new this year, and in extra condition.

Schenectady to Ballston.

This line is a continuation of the above, and fifteen miles long. All sinsingle track except five miles. Is laid with a sixty-two-pound steel, somewhat old and worn. Is standard gauge. Some eighteen openings have been closed by placing solid T-rail flooring. The sleeper life is generally good, though too many ties were noted needing renewal. Some "single-tie bearing" was noted. The rail was found very well spiked, and joints well fastened. Too many low joints were found, in spaces. Targets should be painted oftener. The crossing plank along this line were found well attended to, with few exceptions. The switches, as a rule, were noted in good condition. The whistle, clearance, section and mileposts are in good condition. Several places were noted, where more attention is needed to ditching. The fences were found up and in strong life. The warning signs were found well painted, and in plain view; cross fences and guards also well maintained. Not a few instances were noted where the ditches were well opened and graded. Grass, weeds and brush have received attention. Spare rail, in case of accident, were noted up at short intervals. Some of the floors upon small structures in roadbed need renewal. There are still quite a few minor openings of two and three feet span that could and should be piped, and will be soon; so the officials say. Over the Mohawk river are six spans of deck lattice trusses, erected in 1870. A third truss was erected through the center in 1886. The floor is new, and consists of extra quality timber, closely spaced, and large cross section. The metal needs paint; the substructures appear in strong life and good form. The through lattice riveted span of 100 feet over the Erie canal was erected at the same time and appears well. Near milepost R. P. 172 is a ten-foot opening with new girder, all in good form. No. 64 is a new deck lattice girder, erected last winter. Near milepost R. P. 164 is a twenty-foot deck plate girder over creek, built in 1890, which is small, and needs repairs some. The floor is very good. It is a pleasure to note the great improvements constantly going on upon this system. A few years, if continued, will place the structures in the roadbed in extra safe condition. Some seven thousand five hundred tons of eighty-pound steel rails have been purchased this year.

DELAWARE, LACKAWANNA AND WESTERN RAILROAD.

Main Line.

This road extends from Buffalo to the State line of Pennsylvania, near Conklin, a distance of 212 miles. It is double tracked and standard gauge. Also a double-track road extending from East Buffalo to the International bridge at North Buffalo. It is nine and one-half miles long, and used for freight traffic solely. For dimensions, spans, etc., of superstructures upon this line see Report of 1891. There are no wooden structures upon it intended to maintain permanently. Steel and iron is utilized upon all permanent bridges. The inspection developed a most excellent condition along the entire line. Ample metal was noted everywhere for the loads supported. The number of steel and iron bridges is large. A system of monthly report upon their condition is in vogue, and each is carefully watched. The masonry is also in most excellent condition. Some was noted in need of attention, "pointing up," resetting and the like, but great care and watchfulness is taken to keep the stone work in good repair. The bridging needs paint badly, and much care in scraping should be given preparatory to coating the metal. Delay should not be allowed in this very important item which is so essential to the life of the metal. The track adjustment is almost perfect. The curvature is large and sharp, yet by the excellent attention that is paid to proper elevation of outer rail, strong life and frequency of sleepers, joint fastenings and spiking, also depth and quality of ballast, high speed is maintained daily. One curve two miles long is compounded not a little, but the "flats" in it are very scarce. There are some long tangents on slight grades. Sixty or seventy miles per hour is frequently made and with little danger. The fences were noted very well maintained, the roadbed clean and free from debris. The arrangement and kind of switches promotes safety, the facing points being all "Whartons," with fall or gravity stands. Considerable addition has been made in the item of sidings. The sleepers were found in extra strong life the entire length of road, and the life of all the floor ties on bridges was found extra strong. White oak is used almost entirely, and is thought well of by the officials. Water for fire protection upon the long structures should be maintained. The rails are steel and are made up of from sixty to eighty pounds per lineal yard, and all in strong even life. Considerable of the eighty pounds has been laid since 1891, and in the near future the entire line will no doubt be laid with it. The ditches as a rule were found well attended to. A large number of the highway grade crossings are protected with the Hall gong signals. Some of the warning signs were noted too low, and with too small letters to be conspicuous. There seems to be no attention given to uniforming the station agents. Many were seen without even a badge on hat. The improvements recommended by your honorable body in 1893, at Owego, are nearing completion, and five dangerous grade crossings will be eliminated. The overhead bridge at the station with the inclined approach to it appears satisfactory and very convenient to the public. The grading of the new highway is progressing, and this season will see the element of danger at this point greatly, if not wholly, eradicated. All of the open cattle yards have been filled in, and the slats of iron and wood which have been placed were found in extra condition. Some fifty miles of eightypound steel rail was laid last year, mostly on the eastbound track. Considerable of this heavy rail was noted scattered along the line upon day of inspection, preparatory to being placed. Upon the hill near Dansville nine openings from seven to ten and one-quarter feet span have been renewed with I-beams since last inspection. Since 1891 there have been quite a number of new passenger stations erected. The stations were examined occasionally and found in very good condition and well maintained. Considerable iron pipe was noted in place of small openings.

Utica Division.

This division extends from Utica to Chenango Forks, a distance of eighty-four miles. Is single track and standard gauge. Also a branch, twenty-two miles long, from Richfield junction to Richfield Springs, single track, and gauge as above. The truss bridges were noted almost entirely of iron and supported by good masonry. The floor systems were found closely spaced with strong tie guards, and, as a rule, extra in condition and all of white oak. Twenty-four crossing gong signals are operated and spoken well of by the officials. Near Bridgewater is a new thirty-foot deck plate girder since 1891. Next going south is a sixty-foot through plate girder span over highway and stream, placed in 1892, all in excellent order. A large number of the smaller openings have been completely overhauled since 1891. Several of the wooden structures should be replaced with I-beams and plate girders. Near the junction, to the lake at Richfield Springs, is twenty-eight bays, twelve-foot centers, renewed three years ago. Stringers are two, seven by fourteen inches under each rail. Over the creek is a "pony" truss for bents to rest on. It is contemplated placing an arch here and filling in. This would be a needed improvement at this point and should not be delayed. Twenty-eight openings between Richfield junction and Sherburne, a distance of about thirty miles, have been filled and cast-. iron pipe placed. More care should be taken with the bridge seats in keeping them free from dirt and cinders. Also, back walls should not be allowed too close to girders, I-beams or trusses. The stone culverts under the embankments have been overhauled and "pointed up within the year. The iron structures need paint very much. The importance of keeping the metal well covered is great, and delay in this particular is unwise. There is still considerable room for iron piping at small openings, and the officials express a desire of completing this needed work shortly. Bridge No. 58 is a through plate girder on bents. Sills should be cleaned at this as well as not a few other points immediately. Iron girders resting upon wooden bents is not permanent work, and masonry should replace them as soon as possible. The trestles on this division should have water upon them in case of fire. The floors of all the structures were noted in strong life. A number of