| Annual Report of the Savannah, Albany &
Gulf RR |
| as of May 1, 1862, |
| President's Report |
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| Report of the Acting President Report
of the Acting President of the Sav’h, Albany & Gulf Rail Road
Co. to the Stockholders
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Savannah, May 1st, 1862
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The past year will be long remembered by the present
generation, and history will record to posterity the sufferings that
have been caused by the political scum that has for years past been
swimming on the surface of the country, fostering itself, and recreant
to the country’s good. The existing unnatural war has deprived this
Road of many advantages for the present.
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During the past year the attention of the Board of Directors
has been specially directed to the permanent improvement of the
condition of the Road.
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It is with much pleasure that the Directors can now report that
so much of the Trestle work crossing the low lands on each side of the
Ogeechee River, over two miles in length, as well as other minor
portions of trestle, has been substantially filled up. A contract has
been made with Messrs Walthour & Snyder, the same party who
performed the work above mentioned, to fill up so much of the Trestle
crossing the Altamaha Swamp as will be deemed prudent to fill at
present. It is a settled policy of this Board to continue these
permanent improvements, by substituting embankments for Trestle
whenever it can be done with apparent safety.
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The Florida Branch Road, intended to connect the Railways of
both States, is progressing very favorably, and the stockholders may
look forward to an early completion of this work.
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Connected with other difficulties, there have been some
unpleasant transactions with some of the operatives, which made it
necessary to deal with them more stringently than it is desirable to
do. The present system of sending mail agents over the Road, is one
that needs correction, and as no contract now exists between this
Company and the Confederate States, it will be proper to guard against
allowing any one to pass over the Road in the capacity of Mail agent
who considers himself not subject to the rules and regulations for the
government of the Road. For the present, and during the continuance of
the war, the harmony existing between the Post Office Department and
this Company in relation to carrying the Mail, will be continued if
possible – but a case may occur, when in the event of disrespect to
the executive officers, or disregard to the interest of the Company, a
Mail agent should become obnoxious, it may be necessary to displace
him.
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At the last session of the Legislature, a bill was introduced
and passed into a law, authorizing this Company to extend its Road to
Tybee Island, I desire to call your attention especially to the third
section of the Bill, without comment. The obstructions placed in the
Savannah River below the city, will for a length of time render it
impracticable to transport anything, except by very light draft flat
bottomed boats, and even though the blockade may be removed, “our
port will be almost useless as a shipping. Port. To obviate this
difficulty, it will be necessary to be prepared to extend the Road
down the River past the obstructions so soon as the blockade is
removed.
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For the operations of the Road, I refer you to the report of G.
J. Fulton, Superintendent, for its financial condition, to the balance
sheet of the Treasurer, and for particulars in reference to filling
bridges, and the work on the Florida connection, to the report of J.
T. Stone, Chief Engineer. All of which is respectfully submitted by
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Hiram Roberts
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Acting President
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