| Annual Report of the Atlantic & Gulf RR |
| as of January 1, 1864, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Superintendent's Office |
| Atlantic & Gulf R. R. |
| Savannah, January 1st, 1864 |
| |
| Major John Screven |
| President |
|
|
| Sir, |
| I herewith submit to your
consideration my Report of the operations of the Road for the last
eight months, (two-thirds of a year,) commencing on the 1st of May and
ending on the 31st day of December, 1863. |
|
The earnings of the Road during that time have been as
follows:
|
| For Freight West by Regular Freight Train |
$54,981.67 |
|
|
"
"
" "
Passenger
" |
3,031.37 |
|
|
"
"
" "
Express
" |
7,550.17 |
|
|
Total Freight West |
65,563.21 |
|
| For Passage West |
128,769.05 |
|
| " Freight and
Passage West |
|
$194,332.26 |
|
"
" East by Regular Freight Train |
280,542.94 |
|
|
"
"
"
Passenger
" |
8,335.14 |
|
|
"
"
"
Express
" |
15,035.87 |
|
|
Total Freight East |
303,913.95 |
|
| For Passage East |
118,891.52 |
|
| " Freight and
Passage East |
|
422,805.47 |
|
"
"
"
" " and
West |
|
617,137.73 |
| " Mails |
|
12,969.12 |
| Gross Earnings |
|
630,106.85 |
|
" Expenses |
|
347,666.85 |
| Nett Earnings for eight months |
|
$282,440.00 |
|
|
A new period having been fixed for the termination of the
fiscal year of the consolidated companies, namely, the 31st of
December -- this Report embraces the earnings and expenditures of but
eight months, or two-thirds of a year.
|
|
The earnings for passage during the eight corresponding
months of the last year were $179,188.76, against $247,660.57 for the
present year, an increase of $68,471.81. The earnings for Freight
during the same time last year were $124,180.61, against $369,477.16
for the same months this year, an increase of $245,296.55. The
earnings for Freight and Passage last year were $303,370.37, against
$617,137.73 this year, an increase of 313,767.36. The earnings for
Mails were $7,575.17 against $12,969.12, an increase of $5,393.95. The
total earnings for the eight corresponding months last year were
$310,945.54, against $630,106.85 this year, an increase of
$319,161.31, a fraction over 100 per cent. The earnings would have
been much larger had the crops of the past year been sent forward as
rapidly as they were last season. Large quantities of grain were kept
housed -- the owners in some instances refusing to dispose of it, and
in others declining to fix their price.
|
|
The expenditures for the last eight months, or two-thirds
of a year, have been as follows:
|
| Transportation Expenses -- Including the
Wages of Salaried Officers, Agents and Clerks at Savannah, Way
Stations and Thomasville Depot, Conductors, Train Hands,
Laborers at Savannah Depot and Way Stations, and clothes for
them |
$51,205.73 |
| Incidental Expenses -- Including
Advertising, Postage, Doctor's Bills, Medicines, Casualties,
and all other contingent expenses, not enumerated under either
of the other heads |
$11,783.63 |
| Repairs of Road -- Including Wages of
Supervisor, Overseers and Negroes on Repairs -- cost of
Provisions, Clothes, Ties, Spikes, Tools, Repair Cars, R. R.
Shanties, and all other material necessary for repairs of Road |
$70,239.10 |
| Repairs of Bridges -- Including Wages of
Supervisor, Bridge Builders, Negroes engaged on Repairs of
Bridges, cost of Provisions, clothing, Tools, Repair Cars,
Spikes, Lumber and all other material and labor necessary for
Repairs of Bridges |
$39,230.33 |
| Maintenance of Cars -- Including Wages of
Master Carpenters, Employees in Carpenter Shops, cost of Oil,
Tallow, Waste, Wheels, Axles, Castings, Lumber, and all other
material required for operating, building and repairing Cars |
$81,820.04 |
| Maintenance of Motive Power -- Including
Wages of Master Machinists, Blacksmiths, Machinists,
Engineers, Firemen, Laborers in Machine and Blacksmith Shops,
cost of Oil, Tallow, Waste, Pack Yarn, Tools, Wheels, Axles,
Castings, Fuel, Water and all other material required for
operating and repairing Engines |
$75,786.60 |
| Stock Killed |
10,931.75 |
| Freight lost and damaged |
3,026.99 |
| Printing and Stationery |
3,642.68 |
| Total Expenditures |
$347,666.85 |
| Total Earnings |
630,106.85 |
| Nett Earnings |
$282,440.00 |
|
|
The increased expense for the months of November and
December is owing to a large quantity of Meat, Corn, Shoes, &c.,
having been purchased for the ensuing year.
|
|
The expenditures for the last eight months have been
$347,666.85 against $136,867.86 for the corresponding months of last
year, an increase of $210,798.99. The increase is to be attributed to
the rapid advance in wages and the increased cost of all Rail Road
material and supplies. It has been impossible to procure a sufficient
quantity of some of the most essential articles to enable us to
operate the Road successfully, viz: Locomotives, Engines, Engine
Tires, Copper Flues, Wheels, Axles, Car Springs and numerous other
articles indispensible for repairs. Coal for Blacksmith purposes is
becoming very scarce. The insufficiency of this article will no doubt
ere long prove a source of great inconvenience not only to Rail Roads,
but to the entire mechanical interest of the country, if some means
are not adopted by which it may be supplied. Rail Road supplies of all
kinds have advanced from one thousand to fifteen hundred per cent. and
are still advancing.
|
|
The Stations on the line of Road, as a general thing,
have been less crowded than they were last year, and Freight with the
exception of Cotton, has been removed nearly as fast as it was
offered. Cotton, in some instances, on account of provisions and
Government supplies having the preference in transportation, has been
required to remain longer at Stations than was desirable, not having
means at our command sufficient to accommodate all interests. 9,644
bales of Cotton have passed over the Road during the last eight
months, against 7,753 for the corresponding months last year, an
increase of 2,211 bales. The increase would no doubt have been larger
but for the reasons above cited -- (viz: the want of sufficient
transportation) -- which prevented our offering any encouragement to
shippers of Cotton. For further particulars relative to the business
of the Road you are respectfully referred to table No. 3, showing a
condensed statement of the number and amount of the principal articles
transported over the Road.
|
|
The Rolling Stock, both Engines and Cars, during the past
year have performed good service and have been severely taxed. In
several instances, they have suffered for the material necessary for
keeping them in thorough order. They have, however, with few
exceptions, performed their work regularly and successfully, and with
but few accidents. The majority of the accidents and detentions which
have occurred, have been of a trifling character, generally occasioned
by some slight defect in machinery, or from a wheel breaking or
working loose on its axle.
|
|
We are indebted to the Central and the Charleston &
Savannah Rail Roads, which have, in one or two instances, rendered us
assistance when we have been much pressed with Live Stock, by sending
a Stock Train to aid us in removing the Stock. Frequent efforts have
been made during the year, to procure additional Rolling Stock, either
by purchase or hire, principally from those Rail Roads in the hands of
the enemy, which have been fortunate enough to save a portion of their
engines and cars. All efforts, however, proved fruitless until
recently, when two engines and sixty cars were hired from the Memphis
& Charleston Rail Road. On the 23d of October last a contract was
closed with Mr. Ross, Superintendent of the Memphis & Charleston
Rail Road, for cars at the rate of $2.50 per day each and for two
Locomotive Engines, the Stone Wall and the R. M. Patten, at the rate
of $20 per day each, all of which have been received, except seven
cars, which are on the Road between this place and Montgomery. The
Engine, Stone Wall, and 53 cars are now in successful operation on the
Road. The Patten is in the shop undergoing some repairs. Since that
time three Passenger Coaches have been engaged at $8.50 per day each.
Only one of them however has been received as yet, owing to the
impossibility of procuring transportation over the Montgomery &
West Point Rail Road. The Track of this Rail Road being narrower than
that of the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, the Passenger Coaches
of the latter will not pass their Tanks, Platforms, &c., until
they have been removed. Mr. Cram, Superintendent, has very kindly
offered to do all in his power to facilitate the transportation of the
cars. Arrangements have been made with Major F. W. Sims, acting Agent
for the Government, for two more Engines (the John Childs and the
Limestone,) on the same terms; both Engines have been received and are
now in successful operation on the Road. These Engines and Cars were
delivered in Montgomery, Alabama, but owing as already stated, to the
track of the Montgomery & West Point Rail Road being of narrower
guage than the track of the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, the
Cars and Engines had to be removed from Montgomery to West Point, on
trucks, built for the purpose, rendering it not only a slow but
tedious and expensive operation. All of the Engines and a large number
of the Cars required repairs to put them in safe condition for
transporting Freight; all of which has been done, and the Cars, with
the exception of the seven above mentioned, are in running order.
|
|
The Rolling Stock of the Company consist of
|
| 16 |
|
Locomotive Engines |
| 9 |
|
Passenger Coaches |
| 6 |
|
Baggage and Mail Cars |
| 3 |
|
Express Cars |
| 84 |
|
Box Freight Cars |
| 98 |
|
Platform Freight Cars |
| 19 |
|
Stock Cars |
| 1 |
|
Provision Car |
| 36 |
|
Repair Cars |
| 4 |
|
Crank Cars |
|
Total number, 260 |
|
|
Fifty-four of the above Cars are owned or controlled by
the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road, viz: 1 Passenger Coach,
thirty-one Freight Box Cars, sixteen Platform Cars and six Stock Cars
-- the remaining two hundred and six Cars are the property of this
Company. Seven Box Cars have been turned out of shop at Thomasville
since my last report, and two more will be placed on the Road in the
course of a few days. The shop at Thomasville is still engaged in
building Cars. The work progresses slowly; however, and is frequently
thrown back for the want of material. For further particulars relative
to the condition of the Rolling Stock you are respectfully referred to
tables Nos. 7 and 8.
|
|
The Road bed is in as good condition as it was at my last
Report. Several Bridges on the Eastern section of the Road have been
filled in. The embankments are of a superior character. The
embankments through the Altamaha swamps and low lands are quite
extensive and will no doubt withstand any ordinary pressure of water.
The Bridges, generally, are in very good order; such as are not in
complete condition are being repaired and put in order as rapidly as
possible. The Lattice Bridge over the Altamaha has been extended 118
feet, at a cost of $6,945.00. 424,308 feet of lumber have been
consumed on Bridges during the past eight months.12,089 Ties have been
placed on the track and many more are needed. It has been found
impossible to procure Ties as rapidly as they were required. Bids for
proposals have been solicited and large prices offered, as an
inducement, but notwithstanding this not over one fourth of what are
needed have been contracted for. It has also been impossible to
procure a sufficient quantity of lumber for repairs of Bridges. For
further particulars relative to material used in repairs of Bridges
and Road, you are respectfully referred to Table No. 6.
|
|
G. J. Fulton
|
|
Superintendent
|
|