The accounts of expenditures are so intermixed, that it is difficult to make an exact division of them, but according to our best judgment the amount may be divided as follows:

The amount expended for engines and cars, viz.: For 6 engines, 29 passenger, 3 baggage, and 99 merchandize cars,

The amount expended for depots, car-houses and other buildings, including cost of aqueduct (8640 15) for supplying water, in Cambridge,

111,037 02

82,166 76

The three last sums amounting to $1,508,394 75, give the whole expenditure or cost of the road and appurtenances to this date, being $8394 75 more than the capital stock.

The amount of debts due from the corporation is,

The balance of profits on hand, from which a dividend of 3 per cent. or 45,000 dollars is declared, and will be paid on the first of January next,

The corporation have on hand,—

37,393 32

102,589 09

$139,982 41

It is believed that the land, on hand for sale, will produce more than the cost, at least sufficient to pay this balance.

The length of the road is 25 3-4 miles, 59 7-10 feet.

The number of planes on the road with their inclination, in feet per mile, viz.:

17

66

viz. 7 of 10 feet, 1 of 8 24-100

feet, 1 of 7 5-10 feet, 3 of 7 feet, 1 of 4 5-10 feet,
3 of 4 feet, 1 of 2 6-10 feet per mile.

Whole length of road,

There is one curve within the depot yard at Lowell, of which the radius is only 1200 feet; one curve in Medford of 2800 feet radiusall the rest are 3000 feet and upwards. The curve with the longest radius is in Wilmington, and is 8000 feet. There are about 18 3-8 miles of a straight line, and 7 5-16 of curved line on the whole road.

"Average width of the grade." The embankments are generally graded to a width of twenty-four feet on the top; some are wider, but none are narrower than this. The cuttings are generally graded to a width of 26 to 30 feet, but many of the deep cuts are made much wider to give room to run off the water and to remove the snow.

“Manner in which the rails are supported." The foundation for the first track of rails, is laid with dry stone walls on trenches from 2 1-2 to 4 feet deep, and about eighteen inches thick. The rails are laid, part on stone blocks, part on stone blocks and sleepers, and a small part on stone blocks and wooden sleepers, all of which are supported on the trench walls above described. The stone blocks are three to four cubic feet each. The stone sleepers are seven feet long and average eight by ten inches square. The wooden sleepers of chesnut and white cedar are seven feet long, seven to eight inches diameter. This track is mostly laid with rails of the fish belly pattern, and is set on chairs which are fastened on to the blocks and sleepers above described. The second track is laid for about three miles in the same manner as the first one is; the remainder 8 1-3 miles is laid mostly on stone sleepers, (some few blocks intervening,) which are supported on a bed of clean gravel 7 1-2 feet wide and 2 1-2 to 3 feet deep.

The corporation had purchased and received from England, enough

rail-iron to lay the second track complete; but not having sufficient capital for this purpose, were compelled to sell a portion of it, which they were fortunately able to do without loss.

Should the Legislature, in their wisdom, be pleased to grant permission to the corporation to increase their capital stock, it may be considered expedient to finish the second track, so that the public may be better accommodated in using the road with more safety-as by having two tracks, and using one for the upward and the other for the downward train, we are secure from accidents happening from the meeting of trains moving in opposite directions, which cannot always be avoided on a rail-road with only one track of rail-way.

All which is respectfully submitted.

Boston, November 30, 1837-being the time to which the accounts were made up. Signed January 3, 1838.

JOSEPH TILDEN,
P. T. JACKSON,
WM. APPLETON,
JOHN BRYANT,

GEO. W. LYMAN.

Directors Boston and Lowell Rail-road Corporation.

SUFFOLK SS.

Boston, January 3, 1838.

Then personally appeared the above named Joseph Tilden, Patrick T. Jackson, William Appleton, John Bryant, and George W. Lyman, Esquires, and made oath to the truth of the foregoing statement by them severally subscribed, before me,

HENRY CLARK, Just. Peace.

SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

BOSTON AND PROVIDENCE

RAIL-ROAD CORPORATION.

To the Honorable Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

The Directors of the Boston and Providence Rail-road Corporation do hereby respectfully make their Sixth Annual Report of their acts and doings, receipts and expenditures, under their act of incorporation.

During the past year, the corporation have incurred a considerable expense in improving the construction of the road, by fencing the sides, sinking trenches to prevent cattle from passing upon the road from the highways, making culverts, securing the sides of the deep cuts in various places by stone walls, and widening and strengthening several bridges, where they were insecure, or where the passage of the water was obstructed.

The directors have also established various rules and regulations, prescribing minutely the duties of the several officers of the company, and the mode in which the road is to be used, including the form of cars and carriages, the construction of wheels, the weight of loads, and such other matters in relation to the use of the road as were considered by the directors to be essential to the public security and accommodation. By one of these regulations it is provided, that the corporation will furnish locomotive engines, with skilful engineers and all proper apparatus for the moving of cars and carriages, with passengers and goods, over the road at all reasonable times, and that no other locomotives should be used on the road than those belonging to the corporation.