Executive Department
| Atlanta, Georgia |
| October 7, 1861
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| Whereas, the following Preamble
and Resolutions were unanimously passed and adopted by the Southern
shareholders of the Brunswick & Florida Railroad Company at a
meeting held at the office of the Company in the city of Brunswick,
on Wednesday the 25th of September, 1861, which Preamble and
Resolutions are in the following words, to-wit: |
| "A meeting of the shareholders of
the B. & F. R. R. Co. was held at the office of the company in
the city of Brunswick, on Wednesday the 25th of September, 1861, in
accordance with a previous notice.
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| On motion of Dr.
R. McDonald, Col. Charles L. Schlatter was called to the chair, and
James F. King acted as Secretary.
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| The chairman then
stated the object of the meeting.
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| The following
Preamble and Resolution were offered by Dr. McDonald, and, after
some discussion, unanimously adopted:
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| Whereas,
all communications having been cut off between the Southern
stockholders of the Brunswick & Florida Railroad Company, and
the President and Board of Directors, by the war now waged by the
North against the South, whereby this Company is completely
disorganized, and all the money, bonds and assets of the Company are
now in the North, without the hope of the shareholders being able to
reclaim them: And Whereas, the Southern stockholders are not
now, nor are they likely soon to be in a condition to raise funds to
keep up and work the road, therefore,
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| Resolved,
that the shareholders of the Brunswick & Florida Railroad
Company, citizens of the State of Georgia and the Confederate States
of America, having met together, by a call of the Chief Engineer of
said Company to take into consideration the present condition, and
future welfare of the corporation, in order to protect the interests
of all concerned, do hereby direct that a ballot be taken for a Provisional
Board of Directors, who shall act according to the terms of the
charter of the Company during the time of office, and that
application be made to the Legislature to legalize the Acts of the
shareholders and of the Board.
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| Resolved, That
the President and Board of Directors are authorized to place the
Railroad in charge of Gov. Brown, on behalf of the State of Georgia,
to run, repair, and manage the same, until such time as the
shareholders are in a condition to resume its management.
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| In accordance with
the foregoing Resolutions, the following gentlemen were elected a
Provisional Board of Directors, to act until the next regular annual
meeting of the Board, or until such time as the Legislature may
direct: Charles L. Schlatter, Jas. T. Blain, Jas. F. King, R.
McDonald, Nelson Tift, U. Dart, Senr., Charles Day.
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| On motion the
meeting adjourned sine die.
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| Jas. F. King,
Secretary Charles L. Schlatter, Prest.
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| And Whereas,
at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the said railroad company,
held at the office of the Company on Thursday the 26th day of
September, 1861, the following Preamble and Resolutions were
unanimously adopted, to-wit:
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| "At a meeting
of the Board of Directors of the Brunswick & Florida Railroad
Company, held at the office of the Company on Thursday the 26th day
of September, 1861, Charles L. Schlatter Esqr. was unanimously
elected President and Treasurer, and Mr. Wm. Barkeeloo Secretary.
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| The following
Preamble and Resolutions were presented by Dr. R. McDonald and
unanimously adopted:
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| Whereas,
the stockholders of the Brunswick & Florida Railroad Company,
residents of the State of Georgia, at a meeting held on the 25th day
of September, 1861, having authorized the President and Board of
Directors of said Company to place the Railroad in the hands of Gov.
Jos. E. Brown, therefore be it,
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| Resolved,
That said President and Board of Directors, do hereby request Gov.
Jos. E. Brown to take charge of said railroad, and repair, run,
manage and place upon it, such motive power, rolling stock and
machinery, as the business of the road may, from time to time,
require.
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| Resolved,
That the Governor be requested to hold and manage the said railroad,
until such time as the said railroad company are in a condition to
resume the management of said railroad.
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| Resolved,
That the Board of Directors accept the proposition of Gov. Brown, as
reported to them by their President, viz, That all money paid by
Gov. Brown for repairs, management, rolling stock and machinery
necessary to keep the Road in good running order, be charged to said
company, and that all monies received from freight, passengers,
soldiers, and munitions of war be credited to said Company.
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| Resolved,
That the President of the said railroad company is authorized to
complete all the arrangements necessary, with Gov. Brown, to carry
out the foregoing resolutions.
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| The following
Preamble and Resolutions were offered by Mr. U. Dart, Sen., and
unanimously adopted:
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| Whereas,
the Congress of the Confederate States has passed an Act
sequestering all the property of alien enemies lying within the
Confederate States, And Whereas, the people of the State of
Georgia in convention held in January last, did, by solemn Ordinance
guarantee to all persons the enjoyment of all stock or money vested
in permanent works of internal improvement, within the limits of
said State, or words to that effect, and as the charter of the
Brunswick & Florida Railroad Company declares that all the
shares of stock of the said Brunswick & Florida Railroad Company
shall be taken, considered and held in law as real estate of which
the State has the right as this Board believes to claim the right of
eminent domain, and can only be confiscated or sequestered by an Act
of her own Legislature, be it therefore
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| Resolved,
That the President of this road be requested to respectfully call
the attention of the Governor of the State to these facts, and
elicit from him, if possible, an opinion on the subject contained in
the above preamble.
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| A true extract
from the minutes.
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| Wm. Barkeeloo
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| Secy. B. & F. R. R.
Co."
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| Brunswick, Georgia, Sept. 26th,
1861
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| Therefore in
pursuance of the foregoing Resolutions, and considering that it is a
military necessity that the said railroad should be taken possession
of and controlled by State authority as a means of public defense, I
have, as Governor of Georgia and Commander-in-Chief of the army and
navy of this State, and of the Militia thereof, taken charge of said
railroad, to hold and manage the same, and to repair, run and place
upon it in addition to what the company already has, such motive
power, rolling stock and machinery, as the business of the road may
from time to time require, and the exigencies of the public service
may, in my opinion, demand, until such time as I may think proper to
again leave the management of said road to said company, and to hold
and conduct the same in such way as I deem compatible with the
public service.
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| I do hereby
appoint Charles L. Schlatter, Esqr., Superintendent of said
railroad, with a salary of Fifteen Hundred Dollars per annum, who is
hereby authorized to take such control and supervision thereof as is
usual for Superintendent of Railroads to exercise.
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| The Superintendent
is hereby ordered to proceed at once to put the road bed track and
rolling stock of the Road in a condition to insure the safe and
speedy transportation over the road of whatever troops, army stores
and munitions of war the military service may require, and such
freight and passengers as the public may demand, always giving the
preference as to time when demanded, to the transportation of troops
and munitions of war, the appointment to continue in force during my
discretion.
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| The object had in
view by me in accepting the management and control of the road,
being to make it available to the State for military purposes, only
such repairs upon it, as are or shall be absolutely necessary to
insure safe and speedy transportation over it of troops and
munitions of war, will be made under my management, without regard
to permanent improvements; and to this end, I direct that the
Superintendent shall limit his expenditures in repairing the road
bed and track to five thousand dollars until further orders,
believing that this sum, economically expended, will put the road in
the required condition.
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| I also appoint R.
Haglehurst, Esq., Treasurer and Auditor of said Road, with a salary
of one thousand dollars per annum, whose duty it shall be to audit
all accounts and demands against it, accruing after he shall have
entered upon the discharge of the duties of his appointment as such
treasurer and auditor, and to pay all such accounts and demands
which he may approve after the same have been ordered by the
Superintendent to be paid.
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| The treasurer and
auditor shall keep a book, in which he shall credit the company with
all monies received fro freight and passage, and shall charge the
company with all monies paid out for repairing and working the road,
including the superintendent's and treasurer and auditor's salaries.
And these officers shall make out and transmit to the Governor,
quarterly, complete and detailed reports of the condition and
management of the said road. The treasurer and auditor shall, before
entering upon the duties of his appointment, execute his bond,
payable to the Governor of the State, for the time being, and his
successors in office, with good security in the sum of ten thousand
dollars for the faithful discharge of his duties as such treasurer
and auditor.
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| Given under my
hand and the Seal of the Executive Department, this the seventh day
of October, 1861.
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| Joseph E. Brown
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| Governor of Georgia
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