| Annual Report of the Atlantic & North
Carolina RR |
| as of June 1, 1862 |
| President's Report |
| |
| President's Report to the Stockholders of
the Atlantic & North Carolina Rail Road |
| |
| Gentlemen, |
| It is a painful duty we have
to perform in making known to you the present condition of your Road. At
your last annual meeting, some fears existed for the safety of this
work, in consequence of the collection, North, of a fleet of vessels
destined, as many believed, for our waters. But we must frankly admit
that we had not the remotest idea, then, that we would now be compelled
to acknowledge to you the loss, for a time at least, of more than
one-half of your Road and the total destruction of a number of your
costly and magnificent Bridges. But such is the fortune of war; and if
it were your misfortune to be the first to suffer by the action of an
unscrupulous foe, we are consoled to believe that you will be the last
to complain of the action of your own Government, however hard it may
bear upon you, if it were necessary to prevent the invasion of North
Carolina. |
| On the 21st January last the
Treasurer, Mr. J. C. Justice, was directed to take the valuable books
and papers of the Company to some secure and convenient place on the
North Carolina Rail Road; as it was believed at that time, immediately
before the fall of Roanoke Island, that probably the descent of Burnside
would be upon Newbern. On the 12th day of March following, the enemy's
fleet appearing in the mouth of Neuse River in such numbers as to leave
no doubt of its destination, the subjoined order was issued by General
Branch, commanding our forces, and received by the President of the Road
on the afternoon of the same day: |
| |
| Headquarters, District of Pamlico |
| Newbern, 12th March, 1863
{should be 1862} |
| |
| John D. Whitford |
| President A. & N. C. R. R. |
| |
| Sir, |
| The enemy having appeared in
the river, you will please have all your engines fired up and prepare
trains for them. |
| W. G. Cannady |
| A. D. C. |
| |
| This requisition was at once
complied with and five trains were held and run subject to military
direction. Fortunately the mail train was stopped in Newbern, instead of
making its usual run to Morehead that night, which may have prevented
its capture on its return the next morning, as a number of Burnside's
troops were landed at Slocomb's Creek and immediately marched out to the
Rail Road Bridge, no doubt with the intention of intercepting it. This
passenger train was the only one left in the possession of the company,
although the military trains, by order of the Commanding General, were
run under the direction of the President, and our officers and employees
under his control. The small force stationed near Newbern for its
deference, without any prospect of having it reinforced, and the
formidable fleet of gunboats and transports in view of the town, on
Thursday, created much doubt and apprehension in the mind of almost
every one as to its safety, or of the ability of our troops to hold it
against a combined land and water attack of the enemy, however gallantly
they might resist the overwhelming numbers opposed to them. Therefore,
orders were given on that day to the officers and employees of the Road,
and particularly to our Master Machinist, and those under him and
connected with the shops, to make the necessary preparation for the
hasty removal of everything of value in his department. This order was
complied with as far as the limited amount of rolling stock of which the
Company had control would allow, and enabled us to save in value
material to the amount of several thousand dollars. All the stationary
machinery, and many thousand dollars more of other property of the
Company in and about the Machine Shop and Passenger Shed at Newbern,
could and would have been sent up the Road, but for the reason above
stated. The Locomotives and all the Cars except 5 boxes and flats at and
near Newbern and 2 at Morehead City, all of which were in the service of
the army, were brought away. As the military trains were held below and
at Newbern until the route of our troops and the bombardment of the
Depot by the enemy, their escape was almost miraculous and we believe
was owing in part to the good management and faithfulness of Mr. Hudson,
our Master Machinist, and to the brave and true Locomotive Engineers,
Messrs. Grisweld, Clayton, Casey, White and Hollister. For,
notwithstanding many of the cars in the trains were heavily laden with
the ordnance and ordnance stores of the Government, and the trains,
including the Locomotives and tenders, gorged to their utmost capacity
with the families of the citizens of Newbern and with refugees from the
battle-field, and shelled by the gunboats of the enemy as they drew out
from the Newbern Station -- as the enemy admit in some of their reports
of the battle, published in the Northern Journals -- they were all run
up the Road, without an accident having occurred to any person on either
one of the trains. One car only was struck by a shot and that was but
slightly damaged. We are not indebted, however, to the enemy to this
escape for their shell bursted over and around the trains in such close
proximity as the leave no doubt on their desire and intention to destroy
them, if in their power, with the precious burthen of women and
children. In connection with this subject we wish, also, to bear
testimony to the activity and zeal displayed for the interest of the
Company by Messrs. Hancock, Thomas and High, Conductors; Messrs. Fagel,
Hunter and Taylor, Carpenters; Messrs. Clark, Sheeler and Honeycutt,
employed in the Machine Shops and Foundry; Nr. Hall, Ticket Agent; Mr.
Wm. H. Harvey, Acting Transportation Agent; Messrs. Burnam and Cook,
Section Masters, and Mr. Huggins, who, since the capture of Newbern, has
acted as Road Master. Messrs. Metts and Primrose were absent in the
army. These officers and employees all followed the fortunes of the
Company, notwithstanding many of them in doing so were compelled to make
sacrifices of no ordinary character. But they had engaged with the
Company, and have been as true to us in our adversity as they were in
our prosperity; and if further evidence was required to prove to you how
faithfully they have discharged every duty, we would but refer you to
the report of our excellent Treasurer, Mr. J. C. Justice, who has been
equally as watchful for your interest, and there you would see that,
perhaps, no Rail Road Company ever performed the same amount of labor
with as little expense, and more regularity and safety. Furthermore, the
number of new cross ties procured and paid for -- upwards of 20,000
during the past year -- and the excellent condition of the Road and
Rolling Stock at the time of the fall of Newbern, must be satisfactory
evidence to you that we were looking to the future as well as to the
present condition of the work which you had entrusted to our management. |
| While it may be deemed
useless, at the present moment, to speculate in reference to the future
prospects of the Road, we nevertheless believe that that portion of it
between Kinston and Goldsboro' can be operated to your advantage, and
all the Rolling Stock kept profitably employed during the next year.
And, unless the Government concludes to give up the country during the
war through which it passes, we hope, ere long, to be able to announce
that a forward movement of our troops, now in the vicinity of Kinston,
will place you again in the possession of the entire Road to Beaufort
Harbor. However, whether this should be so or not, your loss must be
immense, and it will be left with the Confederate Government at the
proper time, to remunerate you for the destruction of your property, by
military orders. We also believe it would be but an act of justice, in
consideration of the great disaster which has overtaken you in this
enterprise, that our Legislature should allow the remission of the
interest due on the State Loan of $400,000 to the Company. None of your
property has been destroyed by order of the President and Directors, or
any irresponsible person. |
| The detail of the annual
operation of the Road is shown by the following: |
| Receipts from Passengers |
$52,614.94 |
|
| Receipts from freight |
40,961.90 |
|
| Receipts from Confederate States for
Transportation of troops and freight |
20,000.00 |
|
| Rent of Locomotive to W. & W. R. R. |
986.67 |
|
| Mail service |
4,750.00 |
|
| Freight collected on R. Road line |
26.34 |
|
| Total receipts for Transportation as per
Treasurer's statement for the year ending 31st May, 1862 |
|
$119,330.35 |
| Am't due by Confederate States for Passengers --
Troops |
$14,777.76 |
|
| For Freight |
23,035.69 |
|
| For use of Engines and Cars at Goldsboro' |
4,663.00 |
|
| Total mount due by the Confederate States for
the year ending 31st May, 1862 |
|
$42,476.44 |
| Amount due by State of North Carolina for
Passengers -- Troops |
$17,771.56 |
|
| For Freight |
10,800.37 |
|
| " Master Machinist's bill |
2,979.42 |
|
| " Road Master's
" |
239.26 |
|
| " Road Master's
" |
293.50 |
|
| Use of Locomotives |
1,510.00 |
|
| Total amount due by the State of North Carolina
up to May 31st, 1862 |
|
$33,603.11 |
| Total amount as per Treasurer's statement, and
also amounts due by Confederate States and State of North
Carolina |
|
$195,418.90 |
| Deduct for Transportation due from North
Carolina previous to the year ending May 31st, 1861 |
|
15,065.70 |
| |
|
$180,353.20 |
| Operating expenses for the year as per
Treasurer's statement |
|
49,420.79 |
| |
|
$130,932.41 |
| being 6 1/2 per cent. upon the cost of the Road. |
|
|
|
| |
| The corresponding expenses
were for 1861, $64,943.39, and for 1862, $49,420.70, being a decrease of
$15,522.60. |
|
The State of North Carolina and Confederate State
accounts for Transportation have not been audited, but the aggregate
amounts will probably vary but little, as they were both made up
from prices approved by Government for transportation of troops and
freight. |
| For further information of
the operations of the Road we refer you to the report of the Finance
Committee. |
| The painful duty now devolves
upon us to announce to you the loss, since your last annual meeting, of
one of the most zealous and intelligent Directors of this Company. After
a protracted illness, in the month of July last, calmly and peaceably,
surrounded by his family and friends, the earthly career of George S.
Stevenson, Esq., was brought to a close, and his spirit winged its
flight from the boisterous scenes of this world to that "bourne whence
no traveller returns." It is well known to you that Mr. Stevenson was an
early and able advocate in his political career for the internal
improvements of North Carolina, and, whether in the Legislature or
before the people, he always fearlessly and ardently advocated all those
great schemes of improvement which will stand as durable monuments to
the wisdom and foresight of their projectors and advocates. He served as
a member of the Board of Directors from the organization of the Company
to the time of his death, having been first elected by the Stockholders
and afterwards appointed by the State. For the same period he acted as
Attorney for the Company with energy and ability; and, from the
commencement of this work to the latest moment of his life, he
manifested the deepest interest in its welfare, and almost with his
expiring words he regretted he could not live to see his predictions, as
to its success, verified, and, as he believed, the commercial
independence of our beloved State. |
| The vacancy occasioned by the
death of Mr. Stevenson was filled, by the appointment by the Board of
Internal Improvements of North Carolina, of Mr. Council B. Wood, of
Craven County. |
| Respectfully submitted, |
| John D. Whitford |
| President |
|