| Annual Report of the Wilmington & Weldon RR |
| as of October 1, 1862, |
| Superintendent's Report |
| |
| Report of the Chief Engineer and
Superintendent |
| Wilmington & Weldon Rail Road Company |
| Office Chief Engineer and Superintendent |
| Wilmington, N. C., Nov. 7th, 1862 |
| |
| S. D. Wallace, Esq., President, pro
tem. |
| |
| Sir, |
|
I have the honor to submit my Eighth Annual Report of the operations
of the Road for the fiscal year which terminated on the 30th of
September, 1862: |
|
Receipts and Expenditures |
|
The gross earnings and receipts for the fiscal year have
been as follows: |
| Receipts |
| Receipts from Through Passengers |
$454,845.42 |
|
| "
" Way
" |
178,406.93 |
|
| "
" Freights |
246,348.43 |
|
| "
" Mails |
24,300.00 |
|
| "
" Miscellaneous sources |
51,447.31 |
|
| Gross receipts for 1862 |
|
$955,348.09 |
| "
" " 1861 |
|
571,236.24 |
| Increase for 1862 |
|
$384,111.85 |
| The receipts from the Tarboro' Branch, not
included in the foregoing statement, are as follows: |
|
|
| Gross receipts |
$10,402.26 |
|
| Expenditures |
3,602.59 |
|
| Nett earnings |
$6,799.67 |
|
| The gross receipts from Main Stem and Branch |
|
$965,750.35 |
| Expenditures |
| Maintenance of Permanent Way -- |
|
|
| Cost of ordinary repairs of track |
$53,044.10 |
|
| Extraordinary |
17,572.15 |
|
| Repairs of bridges |
5,400.00 |
$76,016.34 |
| Department of
Transportation |
| Rolling Stock -- Cost of repairs of
Locomotive Engines and materials on hand for repairs |
$48,016.25 |
|
| Cost of repairs of passenger cars and materials
on hand for repairs |
18,406.45 |
|
| Cost of repairs of freight cars and materials on
hand for repairs |
8,321.15 |
$74,743.85 |
| Train Expenses -- Pay of Conductors,
Engineers, Baggage Masters, Train Hands and Firemen |
$31,160.08 |
|
| Cost of fuel for Engines and Cars |
19,374.44 |
|
| " " Oil,
Tallow, Grease and Waste |
13,530.55 |
|
| Miscellaneous expenses of trains |
1,510.13 |
$65,575.20 |
| Station Expenses -- Cost of repairs of
Wood and Water Stations, Warehouses and other Station buildings |
$1,663.40 |
|
| Cost of Tickets, Ticket Books, Blank Way Bills,
Freight Manifests, &c |
1,010.05 |
|
| Cost of printing Annual Reports, Time Tables and
Advertising |
580.00 |
|
| Pay of Physician and Nurse for Hospital and of
Station Agents and Warehouse hands and cost of pumping water at
Stations |
16,190.23 |
|
| Miscellaneous expenses of Stations |
100.06 |
$19,543.74 |
| General Expenses |
| Cost of new Locomotive and Tools for Shops,
including new Shops in part at Magnolia |
$6,750.00 |
|
| Cost of new Passenger Cars and Tools for Shop
and in part new Shop at Magnolia |
2,241.55 |
|
| Cost of new Freight Cars purchased and twenty in
course of construction |
7,000.00 |
|
| Cost of Clothing, Subsistence and Medical Stores |
26,773.30 |
|
| Loss and damage |
2,296.35 |
|
| Half the cost of Steam Ferry at Wilmington |
2,000.00 |
|
| Office expenses |
2,201.20 |
|
| Miscellaneous expenses |
1,202.20 |
|
| Salaries of Officers |
9,349.81 |
$59,814.41 |
| Total cost of operating the Road |
|
$295,693.54 |
| Nett income from Main Stem for the year |
|
$659,654.55 |
| "
" "
Branch "
" " |
|
6,799.67 |
| Total nett receipts |
|
$666,454.22 |
|
|
Explanation of Statements |
|
It will be seen by comparing this statement with the one
for 1861, that there has been an increase of expenses of more than
$37,000. |
|
This increase has been in part due to the largely
increased operations in the transportation department, and to the
greatly enhanced value of every article o supply, (as provisions,
clothing, oil, grease, iron, labor, &c.,) used in operating. Yet while
the gross receipts have been $965,750 -- the entire expenses have been
but $299,295 -- leaving a net income of $666,455 -- a sum much greater
than the gross receipts for 1861. |
|
Equipment, Repair Shops, &c. |
|
While we have performed a very large amount of
transportation for the Government and individuals, it has been done
with the machinery of the Company almost entirely. The Government has
not supplied the Road with a Car or an Engine from the great number
captured, and with which some of our neighbors in the State have been
considerably aided. The rent of one Engine from the Atlantic & N. C.
R. R., for three months, and one from the Seaboard road for one month,
is the sum of all the assistance this Rod has received in rolling
stock from abroad. We now require two good Locomotive Engines and at
least twenty-five freight cars (box) and twenty flat cars. We have
twenty box cars in course of construction, (about half completed,) and
we could in a short time supply the flat cars at our own shops, if we
could obtain the wheels, axels and springs. I think, however, we shall
be able to maintain the transportation department in efficient
condition if we can procure the locomotives we need. Our machinery has
suffered much in the last sixty days (prior to the date of this
report) from our inability to make any but the most pressingly
necessary repairs, for want of mechanical force, consequent upon the
destructive epidemic that has recently prevailed here. |
|
We have purchased during the year thirteen box freight
cars from other roads, nearly new, which gives us about 100 box cars
in fair order, and we have 25 flat cars in good order. We have fifteen
first class, six second class, and six mail and baggage cars in fair
order. Many of our cars require new wheels and axels. We have ten
passenger and seven freight Engines in service and undergoing repair,
besides six old Engines laid up, but some of them may be repaired or
rebuilt. |
|
Our repair shops are in good order for general repairs,
with promptness and dispatch, whenever the present epidemic shall
cease and enable us to again employ a full mechanical force, which I
propose to do the moment it is possible. |
|
Repairs of Permanent Way |
|
The track has been maintained in good order so far as
safety is concerned during the fiscal year, by the addition of about
500 tons of new Rails and about 70,000 new cross-ties. With the
present condition of the track and such repairs to the iron as we can
make in our Rail Repair Shop, I trust we shall be able to maintain the
permanent way in safe, if not in the most economical
order during the current year. |
|
Culverts |
|
Of masonry are much needed at many points on the road,
and should be constructed as soon as the condition of the country will
justify permanent improvements. |
|
Bridges |
|
The Bridges are in good order, and with such constant and
regular repairs as we are year by year making, I do not apprehend any
new work of importance in this department of the Road -- unless the
public enemy should unfortunately be able to destroy one or more of
our present bridges. In anticipation of this possible
contingency, I have, with the approval of your predecessor, had the
necessary lumber sawed and other materials got ready for about four
hundred feet of Bridge, to be used whenever it may be needed. The cost
of this Bridge material is included in the cost of this year's
operations, though none of it has yet been used. |
|
Department of Transportation |
|
I am not able to give the exact mileage for this year, in
consequence of the want of clerical assistance to make the daily
records, but it may be safely estimated by a comparison with that of
last year, at not less than 400,000 miles. The number of passengers
transported, was 317,013 through and 95,486 way, who
paid in the aggregate $633,252.35, while receipts from freight have
reached the handsome sum of $246,348.43, the mails paying $24,300.00,
making up the gross receipts from the working of this department
$903,900.78. The great increase in receipts from this department is of
course due mostly to the large amount of army transportation that has
been done, though at a heavy wear and tear of machinery and road-way. |
|
Warehouses, &c. |
|
The necessity for Warehouses and Station Houses at the
points mentioned in my last two Annual Reports, remains undiminished
-- The Station House at Wilson especially claims your attention. |
|
Tarboro' Branch |
|
This Branch has been fully completed and in successful
operation for the past year. The accounts for its construction have
been all adjusted and paid. There still remain a few small claims for
land damages that have been delayed in consequence of the disturbed
state of the country and the absence of the Company's Agents, who were
charged with the duty of making a final settlement of them. The full
statement of the cost of this Branch, and its equipment will be found
in the Treasurer's Statement. |
|
The Branch Road has been of vast convenience to the
government and the people during the war, and a source of direct and
handsome profit. |
|
Prospects and Wants of the Road |
|
It is hardly worth while to indulge in speculation upon
the future prospects of this Road. Yourself, the Directors and
Stockholders, can judge as well perhaps as I can of the immediate
and remote probable condition and business of the Road. I ask
your attention to the subject of a liberal fund for repairs and
renewals when the present was shall terminate, or sooner, if it be
practicable to make them, and for this purpose, not less than $100,000
should be set aside this year as a "Renewal Fund." Steps should
also be immediately taken to supply at least two good Engines and a
large number of wheels and axels to maintain our rolling stock in
running order. |
|
Your lamented predecessor fully concurred with me in the
necessity for a large outlay in maintaining and renewing our rolling
stock and permanent way. |
|
My thanks are due to all efficient officers and agents
for the patriotic and laborious discharge of duty during the year. |
|
The accompanying tables are referred to for detailed
information upon the subjects stated therein. |
|
Respectfully submitted, |
|
S. L. Fremont |
|
Chief Eng. & Sup't. |
|