| Annual Report of the South Western RR |
| as of August 1, 1865, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Superintendent's Report
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| Southwestern Railroad Co. |
| Macon, August 1, 1865 |
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William S. Holt, Esq.
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President
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Sir,
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The fourteenth annual report from this office, showing the operations of the
road for the fiscal year
ending August 1st, 1865, is herewith submitted:
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| Earnings of the Road
for the Year |
| Up freight (eastward) |
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$1,185,853.46 |
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| Down freight (westward) |
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460,193.76 |
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| Total from freight |
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$1,646,047.22 |
| Through passengers |
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756,004.24 |
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| Way passengers |
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697,161.01 |
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| Total from passengers |
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1,453,165.25 |
| Mails |
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11,270.80 |
| Miscellaneous earnings |
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43,191.21 |
| Total earnings |
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3,153,674.48 |
| The current expenses of the year have been |
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1,694,241.51 |
| Showing net earnings for the year
of |
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1,459,432.97 |
| Total Cars |
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156,142.96 |
| Total current expenditures |
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$1,149,696.52 |
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The total earnings for the present year embrace
$1,579,767.99, uncollected from the late confederate government,
which, if deducted from the gross earnings, will show a balance of
$1,573,906.49, or $120,335.02 less than the current expenses of the
road, for the fiscal year. This amount was met by collections from
last year's business.
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At the close of our last fiscal year, there was due by
the late confederate government $655,109.34, of which $530,983.68 was
collected, leaving uncollected on last year's business $124,125.66.
This amount added to the uncollected earnings for the present year
makes the total amount uncollected from the late confederate
government $1,703,893.65.
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During the year, by order of the military authorities of
the late Confederate States, the iron from the Fort Gaines branch,
about twenty (20) miles, was taken up and sent to the Central, Atlanta
& West Point, and Macon & Western railroads, to repair those
roads. Those companies are responsible to this company for the iron,
as no payment was ever made or tendered to this company by either
these companies or the late confederate government. I have no doubt
the iron will be returned, with compensation for its use and damage,
as soon as the companies can procure iron to replace it.
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The bridge over Flint river, on the Columbus branch, was
burned on the 19th April, by the military authorities of the late
Confederate States; a temporary bridge has been built, and trains are
now running through to Columbus. I have contracted with A. L. Maxwell,
esq., to build a permanent Howe truss bridge, to replace the one
burnt, which will be put up just as soon as he can get the necessary
iron; the wood-work is nearly ready to be put up.
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Our iron is wearing out rapidly. We need, to put the road
in good order, ten miles of new Trail, most of which would be used to
replace the light flange rail. This iron has done good service, having
been in constant use since the opening of the road to Oglethorpe in
1850, but should be replaced as early as practicable. By replacing
eight or ten miles, the best bars from that taken up could be used in
repairing the balance, and the worn bars could be re-rolled into T
rail, and other sections of flange rail taken up. thus in a short time
the entire flange rail would be removed.
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Motive power. Our motive power has depreciated
materially in the past four years. It has done heavy service, and has
been well kept up, considering the difficulties of procuring material
and labor for necessary repairs. We still have motive power sufficient
to do a much heavier business than is at present offering if we had
the cars.
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Table I shows the present condition of the engines.
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Cars. We have on the road 13 first-class passenger
cars, 12 of them needing repairs and paint; second-class passenger and
baggage 10, all needing repairs and paint; baggage and package 4, in
running order; mail and express 3, one needing repairs and paint;
conductors; 12, 3 in bad order; box freight 75, 18 in bad order;
platform 45, 6 in bad order; stock 4, in running order. In addition,
there are in Savannah 10 box cars; in Thomasville 6 box cars, and in
Augusta and on Georgia railroad 2 box and 1 platform car, making total
of 93 box and 50 platform cars on the road and at other points know
not to be destroyed. In 1861 we had 116 box cars, 4 needing repairs,
and 76 platform cars, 8 needing repairs, making a total of 192 box and
platform cars. We have now, as heretofore shown, 143 -- showing a loss
of 49 cars in four years.
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Of the number short it is known that seven box cars were
burned at Wilmington, where they were sent by the Central Railroad
Company in a cotton train; one platform car was broken down and left
on the Wilmington & Manchester railroad, and eight box cars were
burned when General Hood evacuated Atlanta; then platform cars were
sold to the late confederate government for coal cars, and eight
platforms have been broken up and the wheels and trucks used in
repairing box cars. The other cars have gone over other roads by
military order, and probably been destroyed; some of them may have
been burned in Columbus. That road having no record of the cars
burned, can give no information on the subject.
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After being cut off from the balance of the world for
over four years and thrown upon our resources, whit no possibility of
procuring materials necessary to keep up our rolling stock, it is not
surprising that it has greatly deteriorated, particularly as we have
been more pressed with freight, and more tonnage has passed over the
road during the last three years than ever before in the same length
of time.
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Our cars are failing for want of wheels, axles, and
springs, reducing our capacity to do the business offered. This and
other wants will be remedied as rapidly as the means of the company
permit.
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We have two of our passenger cars now in the shop
undergoing repairs and being painted; others will be taken in and
repaired and painted as rapidly as practicable, and I believe before
our next annual report we will be able to report our rolling stock in
nearly as good condition as before the war.
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The bridge across the Chattahoochee, at Eufaula, has been
so far completed that our trains now run to the depot in the city.
This is an important bridge, and it will be necessary, for its
preservation, to have it weatherboarded and covered immediately, as it
will soon injure by exposure to the weather. We have a good brick
warehouse in Eufaula, and are prepared to do the business at that
point conveniently.
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Our road is not in as good order as heretofore at this
season of the year. Owing to the breaking up of the labor system of
the country a large number of the negroes left the road, and we found
it impossible, for two or three months, to keep hands enough on the
road to do the usual repairs and improve the track, as hertofore,
during the spring and summer months. The repair gangs are now supplied
with their usual number of hands, and if they will remain and work
faithfully, as we hope they may, the road will be in its usual good
order and repair before winter.
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The officers and employes have generally performed their
services faithfully and to my satisfaction.
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Respectfully submitted,
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Virgil Powers
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Engineer and Superintendent
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