| Annual Report of the Charlotte & South
Carolina RR |
| as of January 1, 1866, |
| President's Report |
| |
| To the Stockholders of the Charlotte
& South Carolina Railroad Company: |
| |
| It is well known to the
public, that shortly after the last Annual Meeting, General Sherman,
with a large army, entered the city of Columbia, on the 17th of
February, and laid it in ruins. In this destruction, all the property
of the Company located there, was annihilated as far as practicable,
except the Boarding House. The Machine and Car Shops, Engine and Depot
Houses and Sheds, Foundry and Offices, were consumed, both in the City
and at the Junction. Several hundred Car-wheels, with a number of
Cars, and some Machinery, including the Stationary Engine were also
destroyed. A portion of the army followed the line of the road to
above Blackstock's, over fifty miles -- entirely destroying the
superstructure as far as practicable, of about one-half of the Road. One Car was also burnt on the side-track at Cornwell's, within
eight miles of Chester. All the Depots, wood and water Stations for
this entire distance were consumed, including about three thousand
cords of engine wood. |
|
On the 19th of April, a detachment from General
Stoneman's command, then in Western North Carolina, proceeded to the
Catawba River Bridge, and burned the entire superstructure. This
Bridge consisted of nine spans of 125 feet each; was 1125 feet in
length, and cost veer $80,000. This left only two sections of the
Road, from Charlotte to the river -- less than twenty (20) miles, and
from the river to near Blackstock's, about thirty-three (33) miles
capable of being used. In addition to these disasters, General
Sherman's army burnt about 1600 bales of the Company's cotton, stored
principally in Richland, Fairfield and Kershaw Districts, being all
owned by it, except 74 bales. A greater portion of the Engines, Cars
and Machinery were saved.
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| The Confederate authorities
had undertaken to assist the Company in rebuilding its Road, and when
the surrender occurred, the track was relaid several miles below
Blackstocks. |
| ***** |
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Respectfully submitted
|
|
Wm. Johnston
|
|
President
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