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New Jersey Herald - November 16, 1871 issue

The work of construction has began in earnest on the new route of the Sussex Road across the meadows. The channel of the brook that flows into the "Big Spring" has been changed to avoid bridging, although it will be necessary to bridge the large ditch, near the spring. At the northern junction and near the spring, the work of grading is being carried on.

The Sussex Railroad have received the lumber for planking the bed of their road across the meadows and have the track laid from the junction with the old line to where they will begin planking.

The Sussex Road are rapidly laying the plank and track from the junction across the meadows and will probably reach the Big Spring by Saturday night.

The track of the Sussex Railroad across the meadows reached the Big Spring on Monday, where a bridge is being built to cross the kill. The road is being planked all the way across the marshy ground. A first layer of planks is laid crosswise and a second layer is placed diagonally over them, upon which the ties are laid, and the intervening space filled with gravel.

The track of the Sussex extension is laid to the meadow brook near the rocks. A locomotive was left on the Big Spring bridge, from Saturday night till Monday morning to settle it. Many visited it on Sunday and some continued their walk down the kill, which would have been all right--if they hadn't followed a fish line.

The grading for the Sussex railroad track across the meadows is nearly completed. The track is laid from the eastern junction to the old meadow brook, and it is said that a switch will be put in at the depot junction this week and the laying of the rails at this end commenced.

On Friday last the old Sussex Railroad track, near the Newton Depot was connected with the new branch across the meadows by placing of a switch. It is thought the track laying will be completed on the meadow branch by the coming Saturday night.

The last rail on the new Sussex branch across the meadows was laid last week, and on the 4th of July all the trains on the Sussex road ran over the branch. Since that time gravel trains have been ballasting the road and it is expected that the road will be in perfect running order in a few days. The building of the contemplated new brick passenger depot with the proposed accommodations, has been postponed and in its stead a temporary frame structure is now being erected. The excavation for the foundation of the other still remain, and it is to be hoped that before long that Newton can be able to boast of a long needed commodity--a passenger depot that will be a credit to this town.

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New Jersey Herald - October 3, 1872

The Sussex Railroad cut-off across the meadows is experiencing considerable difficulty, occasioned by a sinking of the track. Last week we chronicled an accident from this cause. For some time past the track has been sinking at the point where the old ditch used to run, near the big spring, and on Saturday last the route was abandoned till sufficient repairs are made to make it safe for the running of trains. We learn that the section will be "corduroyed."

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New Jersey Herald - October 10, 1872

The sink hole on the Sussex Railroad cut off across the Newton meadows is still giving the company considerable trouble, sometimes sinking three feet in a single night, after being filled level during the day. Large amounts of gravel were thrown in during last week, but on Sunday the road was several feet below level, while the banks on either side were bulged up.

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New Jersey Herald - October 31, 1872

The sink hole near the big spring on the Sussex R.R. cut off across the meadows, bids fair to rival the former sink on the Midland, near Snufftown, the rains of last week completely placed the track out of sight under the mire and water, and compelled the Company to run their trains over the old way.