_President_, WILLIAM COVENTRY H. WADDELL, New York _Supt. of Operations_, GEN. S. P. LYMAN, New York _Treasurer_, HENRY STANTON, New York _Secretary_, SAMUEL ELLIS, Boston _Counsel_, SAMUEL BEARDSLEY, Utica _Consulting Engineer_, JOHN B. MILLS, New York _Directors_ Charles E. Clarke, Great Bend Lyman R. Lyon, Lyons Falls Robert Speir, West Milton John R. Thurman, Chester Zadock Pratt, Prattsville Wm. Coventry H. Waddell, New York P. Somerville Stewart, Carthage E. G. Merrick, French Creek James M. Marvin, Saratoga Anson Thomas, Utica Otis Clapp, Boston Gen. S. P. Lyman, Utica Henry Stanton, New York Mr. A. F. Edwards received his appointment as Chief Engineer of the company on March 10, 1852, and soon afterwards entered upon a detailed reconnoissance of the territory embraced within its charter. He examined closely into its mineral and timber resources and gave great attention to its future agricultural and industrial possibilities. In the early part of his report he says: "In the latter part of September, 1852, I left Saratoga for the Racket (Racquette) Lake, via Utica. On my way I noticed on the Mohawk that there had been frost, and as I rode along in the stage from Utica to Boonville, I saw that the frost had bitten quite sharply the squash vines and the potatoes, the leaves having become quite black; but judge my surprise, when three days later on visiting the settlement of the Racket, I found the beans, cucumber vines, potatoes, &c., as fresh as in midsummer." His examination of the territory completed, Mr. Edwards began the rough location of the line of the new railroad. From Saratoga it passed westerly to the valley of the Kayaderosseras, in the town of Greenfield, thence north through Greenfield Center, South Corinth and through the "Antonio Notch" in the town of Corinth to the Sacondaga valley, up which it proceeded to the village of Conklingville, easterly through Huntsville and Northville, through the town of Hope to "the Forks." From there it went up the east branch of the Sacondaga, through Wells and Gilman to the isolated town of Lake Pleasant. Spruce Lake and the headwaters of the Canada Creek were threaded to the summit of the line at the Canada Lakes. The middle and the western branches of the Moose River were passed near Old Forge and the line descended the Otter Creek valley, crossing the Independence River and down the Crystal Creek through and near Dayansville and Beaver Falls to Carthage where for the first time it would touch the Black River.