| Annual Report of the Seaboard & Roanoke
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| as of February 1, 1861, |
| Superintendent's Report |
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| Superintendent's Report
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| General Superintendent's Office |
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Seaboard & Roanoke Railroad Co.
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Portsmouth, Feb. 1861
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To the President and Directors of the S. & R. Railroad Co.
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Gentlemen,
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I respectfully submit to you my report of the operations
of your road, for the year ending with January 31st, 1861.
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| The receipts of your road for the year have been
as follows: |
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| From Passengers |
$94,505.17 |
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Freights |
152,950.41 |
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| " U.
S. Mail |
8,000.00 |
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| Total from
Transportation |
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$255,455.58 |
| Dividends, Wharfage, Interest, Rents, &c. |
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25,426.52 |
| Making your Gross Revenue |
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$280,882.10 |
| The operating expenses of the road
have been as follows: |
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| Officers salaries |
$6,708.89 |
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| Office expenses |
682.29 |
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| Depot expenses |
25,439.05 |
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| Road and Bridge repairs |
33,415.49 |
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| Train expenses |
25,115.55 |
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| Repairs of Engines and Cars |
14,814.57 |
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| Horses |
1,125.99 |
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| Stock killed |
536.75 |
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| Merchandise lost |
259.92 |
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| Taxes |
2,756.07 |
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| Insurance |
550.22 |
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| Contingent and travelling expenses |
828.60 |
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| Total |
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$112,233.39 |
| Deduct from this amount for more material on
hand than on Feb. 1st, 1860 |
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221.09 |
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$112,012.30 |
| Deduct for excess of bills of previous years,
paid and charged to the current expenses of this year, beyond
those outstanding Feb. 1st, 1861 |
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$7,497.23 |
| Leaving as operating expenses for the year |
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$104,515.07 |
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being a little over 37 per cent of your gross revenue, and 40 per cent
of your receipts for transportation.
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It will thus be seen, that the expenditure for the year
has been considerably lessened, whilst the receipts from
transportation have increased $24,919.11, and from other sources
$15,516.89, making a nett result for your operations of 55,314.27
better than for the previous year.
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The actual cost of operating the road is less than is
above exhibited, but as there has been no account kept for
construction or increase of stock, all such items have been charged
directly to the operating expenses.
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Although it will appear, from my report of new
construction carried on during the year, that your road and equipment
have been gradually improving, there is nevertheless, a constant, but
scarcely appreciable depreciation taking place in the rails, and
although it will be ill advised to replace these, except when actually
needed, an allowance should always be made in view of the cost of
their renewal.
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I should judge, that upon your road, with its present
traffic, a relay equal to four miles each year would be necessary to
preserve it in good condition. The cost of re-rolling rails has been
found not to exceed $2,064.55 per mile, inclusive of freight.
Ninety-five hundredths of a mile of iron has been laid during the past
year. A balance of 3 5/100 miles, at a cost of $6,286.87, should be
considered in examining the cost of operating your road.
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It has been my endeavor during the past year, so far as
was practicable, to make cash payments for purchases, believing that
by so doing, materials would be obtained upon the best terms. At the
end of the fiscal year, there is estimated as outstanding only about
$473.
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It will be seen by reference to the statement of the
Master of Transportation, that there has been a slight increase in
travel. This has been in through passengers. In freights the principal
increase has been in through up freights and in cotton. There has been
an increase of 8432 bales of cotton carried over the road. The most
marked falling off has been in flour, naval stores and staves.
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About the 8th day of last June, your steamer, the
"Philadelphia," was received by the Potomac Steamboat
Company, to whom she had been chartered for ice service, and
preparations were at once made to place her upon the proposed line to
Seaford. By an arrangement with the Baltimore Steam Packet Company,
the "Philadelphia" was transferred to and the line opened by
them. Although the business of this line has not been so large as was
anticipated for it, its operations have given promise that it will
become not only remunerative in itself, but add largely to the
business of the road.
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Road
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Your road has been maintained in a good condition
throughout the year. During the wet winter months, portions of it had
become rough and uneven, particularly in the Dismal Swamp, and certain
cuttings through pipe-clay soil; but in most of these cases, gravel
and sand have been laid under the sills to the depth of about ten
inches. This, with good drainage, has afforded an effectual remedy.
The purchase of the Meherrin gravel bank, the only one on the line of
the road, has already proved of much value. A regular system of
gravelling has been introduced, and about three miles of the road bed
have been gravelled during the year. It may be safely said, that the
first element to successful railway economy, is the maintenance of a
good road way, and nowhere is it more directly shown, than in the
diminished cost of repairs to machinery and cars.
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Track
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The increased wear upon the track is scarcely
appreciable. Nearly a mile of new iron has been laid, with a wrought
iron chair of a new pattern, purchased with the iron of the Phoenix
Iron Company. A curve has been placed, leading from High street to
Water street, thus dispensing, to a great extent, with the turn-table
at the foot of High street, and effecting a considerable reduction of
labor at that point. Three short sidings have been added at the shops,
at the 74 mile post and at Weldon. Upwards of 20,000 sills have been
laid within the year. This is rather more than the average that will
be hereafter needed.
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Bridges and Trestle Work
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The bridges and trestle work have undergone constant
examination, and wherever decay was noticed, new timber has been substituted.
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At Nottoway the caps and stringers have been entirely
renewed. At Meherrin a new bridge has been built, and on the flats the
trestle work has been thoroughly over hauled. Eight hundred and
twenty-five lineal feet, containing 16000 cubit yards of earth
embankment have been added, in lieu of trestle work, at this point.
Stone culverts and embankment have replaced the short trestles near
the 22d, 35th, 57th, 72d and 74th mile posts. The stone for these
culverts was purchased at Port Deposit, Md., and is of excellent
quality.
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Three spans of Weldon Bridge have been placed in thorough
repair and well covered with new decking. Repairs are at this time
progressing with the two remaining spans and with the trestle work.
This most important bridge will soon be in a condition to need but
little repair for some years.
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Depots
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Your depots have needed but little attention. A new car
shed, with iron roof, and with ample capacity for the passenger and
baggage equipment, has been erected near the shops. A neat cottage is
in progress of erection at Weldon Bridge, for the use of the Bridge
Tender. A small car house has been built at Weldon, and also a
blacksmith and carpenter shop, to supply the wants of the Raleigh
& Gaston Rail Road Company, and ourselves at that point, at our
joint expense.
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Shops
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The shops are as last year, with the exception of the
purchase of a new lathe, as recommended by your committee. Its cost
was $2,100.
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Machinery
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The engines have been maintained in an efficient
condition. The alterations of valve motion, &c., to the Wm.
Collins, were completed last Spring and have resulted most
satisfactorily. She has been running since then with great regularity,
and, with the passenger train, has proved the most economical and
efficient engine in the Company's service. A small engine, weighing
one and a half tons, has been built to be used by the Road Master in
examining the Road. I would call your attention to the statement of
the Superintendent of Machinery; it will be perceived from it, that
121,306 miles were run by your engines during the year, at an average
cost of 2.98 cents per mile run.
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Cars
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Since the last report, three box cars and one passenger
and baggage car have been built at the Company's shop, and added to
the equipment of the road. Two mail and passenger cars, one baggage
car, then box cars, and five flats have been rebuilt, and one car, 39
feet long, for the material train, in nearly completed. One baggage
car has been broken up. All the cars have been repaired, where repairs
were needed, and all are at this time in excellent condition, with the
exception of three box cars and eight flats, which require extensive
repairs, and in some cases rebuilding. Your equipment is ample to
accommodate the present business of the road.
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Accidents
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Three losses of life occurred on the road in the past
year. A white fireman and a free negro, in the employ of the Company,
and a free negro woman were run over through their own carelessness,
and killed. An irregular freight train was delayed through the
breakage of a crank axle to the engine "Virginia." With this
exception, no train has been for a moment delayed by the slightest
accident to machinery or cars.
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Free Passes
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Applications for free passes are frequent and often
annoying. Endeavor has been made to diminish this evil, of which so
many road justly complain.
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In conclusion I would add, that with rare exceptions, the
duties of the officers and men in your employ, have been performed
satisfactorily. I feel especially indebted to the assistance of your
Masters of Transportation, Road and Machinery, through whose earnest
co-operation I have been enabled to present to you so favorable a
report.
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John M. Robinson
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General Superintendent
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