| Annual Report of the South Carolina RR |
| as of January 1, 1862, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Report of the General Superintendent
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| South Carolina R. R. Co. |
| Charleston, December 31, 1861 |
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To the President and Directors of the South Carolina Railroad Company
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Gentlemen,
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I have now the honor of submitting to you my Seventh
Annual Report as your General Superintendent.
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Upon reference to the statements and tables from the
Auditor's Department, it appears that our earnings from
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| Passage, Freight, Mails, etc., during the past
year, are |
$391,561.08 |
| less than in 1860, but which is reduced,
however, to |
337,894.17 |
| by a gain in Passage of |
53,666.91 |
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The receipts of cotton, it will be observed, are 193,946
bales less than those of 1860.
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The operating Expenses, ordinary and extraordinary, are
much more satisfactory in their results than we were justified in
anticipating before the close of the year, from the fact of the early
and very large advance in prices of every description of railroad
supplies. Their ration to the earnings is 50 65/100 per cent., being 2
55/100 per cent. below that of last year.
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There have been carried over the Road during the year,
upon full and half tickets, 243,645 passengers of all classes.
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| Of this number, there were for account of the
State of South Carolina |
15,502 yielding |
29,519.09 |
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| and for acc't of the Confederate States |
52,921
" |
109,780.27 |
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| Making together |
68,423 |
amounting to |
$139,299.36 |
| The amount of freight transported for the former
was |
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2,103.21 |
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| And for the latter |
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47,361.96 |
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| Making together |
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49,465.17 |
| The aggregate being |
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$188,764.53 |
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The Auditor's statements, A, Nos. 1 and 2, B, Nos. 1 and
2, and tables 1, 2, 3 and 4, are respectfully and particularly
referred to for further information in connection with the foregoing
subjects.
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The service in almost every branch of the Transportation
Department has been performed during the year under many
disadvantages. Its risks were very much extended by the unavoidable
irregularity of the movements of many of the trains furnished for
military purposes, attended, too, by no trifling increase of expense,
in the mere respect of supplying them punctually and adequately at all
desired points. No effort, however, was omitted to meet the
requisitions of the Government and the business wants of the public,
and we have good reason to venture the hope that we have not fallen
far short of the expectations of either.
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Accidents to persons have been but few; in some instances
fatal to life, and in those, in justice to ourselves, it must be
stated, owing entirely to a want of ordinary prudence and care on
their own part.
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On the 3d of October the new Post office Schedule,
reducing the service from double daily to single, was put in
operation. It was without much difficulty made to adapt itself to
local circumstances, which it was very desirable to accommodate upon
the score of economy; and I now have the pleasure of reporting, that
it is working with quite a saving in our train expenses, and equally
satisfactory in other respects.
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No expense of an extraordinary character, excepting for
the erection of a small Freight Depot at Jamison's, has been incurred
in this department. The proposed improvements at other stations having
been postponed until circumstances will warrant their being carried
out.
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Tables Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8, set forth the condition of our
rolling stock. Since my last report, one locomotive, the
"Texas," has been condemned, and one, the
"Conner," has been sold. Both Motive and Car Power have been
severely taxed, but, fortunately, proved adequate to all emergencies.
At this time there are not more of the former "repairing"
than at the date of my last report. This circumstance, taken in
connection with the fact that we have been entirely without the
advantages of either renewals or additions, speaks well for its
performance during the year.
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Our repairing force, in all its branches, is a very
competent one; and there is every good reason to expect that it will
be able to preserve our motive power equal to the demands that may be
made upon it for some time to come.
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Of the stock of cars reported on hand the 31st December
last, thirty-two of all classes have been condemned, viz: nineteen
platform, eleven box, and two stock. One passenger car has been sold.
But eight coal cars were built during the year. It is proposed to
build, as soon as possible, a sufficient number to replace those
condemned, and in addition ten more for the transportation of stock.
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A very large quantity of important work has been done in
this department for the State and Confederate Governments -- the
details of which can be furnished at any time they may be required.
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The condition of the Road is good. Some extraordinary
expenses have been incurred during the year, say about $20,000 -- the
largest part of which is for Rail Iron; nine miles, equal to eight
hundred and thirty-seven tons, having been laid down. The filling at
Beaver Dam, near Aiken, has been finished. The work at Hampton's
Hollow was suspended from January until the middle of November, when
it was resumed under very favorable circumstances, and will be
continued to a speedy completion, unless some thing unforeseen
intervenes to prevent it.
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The bridge across the Savannah has been considerably
strengthened, and on the Hamburg side the bank has been opened, and
stone abutments inserted to relieve it without injury in case of an
overflow. With the same view, an opening has also been made of one
hundred and fifty feet in the Congaree embankment, and protected by
similar abutments of stone.
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The ordinary expenses of this department, I think, it
will be in our power to reduce still more for the ensuing year. There
are portions of the Rail, however, which will soon require renewal;
and I would respectfully recommend that a supply of at least one
hundred tons monthly be arranged for at your early convenience.
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In closing this report, I take great pleasure and
satisfaction in reiterating the tribute paid in my last to all the
officers and employees of the Company, for their uniform and hearty
co-operation in promoting and protecting its varied interests in their
several spheres of duty.
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All of which is respectfully submitted.
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H. T. Peake
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General Superintendent
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