B6, W&A 12/2/1863

Executive Department
Milledgeville, Georgia
December 3d, 1863
 
To the General Assembly:
 
   As the Western & Atlantic Railroad is justly relied upon by the people of this State as a source of considerable revenue, it has become my duty to call the attention of the General Assembly to the present heavy losses sustained by the State in the transportation of freights for the Confederate Government. The rates now allowed by the government are the same that were agreed upon by the Augusta convention, when all the supplies used by the Road were worth in the market less than half their present market value, which rates are much less than half the prices charged to citizens of this State. I have therefore notified the proper officer that, in future, the Road will charge one hundred per cent. upon the rates now paid for the transportation of Confederate freight. With the heavy increase of expenses, it will not be possible to make the Road a source of much revenue and charge less. I trust my action in this regard will meet the approval of the General Assembly.
   It has become absolutely necessary that we import some springs for cars and other necessary material for repairs. Since the General Assembly has convened, part of these have arrived at a Confederate port, and the cost to the Road will be over twenty-five times the old prices.
   It is proper that I mention the additional fact that the amounts now charged by the Confederate officers for losses upon the Road amount to very heavy sums. These officers load their own cars at one end of the Road and frequently check out their own freights at the other end and charge the Road with such losses as they may choose to report. Under these circumstances, if a Confederate Quartermaster should be dishonest, he might appropriate to his use large amounts of freight and charge it to the Road as lost on the way.
   It may be said that the authorities of the Road should see that they are not imposed upon in this way. In the present state of things, this is often impossible. Two or three freight trains arrive together, and the army needs the supplies and officers are sent with detachments of men to unload all at one time. Each checks out for himself and makes such report as he thinks proper, and the officers of the Road can get no other account than the one rendered by the officers in charge of these detachments. What they choose to report as lost is charged up against the Road and withheld upon settlement of freight account.
   Again, it frequently happens that the loaded trains have to lie over for a time before the Confederate officers are ready to receive the freights. While thus detained, they are often entered by bands of straggling soldiers and valuable articles taken from them, which the Road is required to pay for. Our freight cars have again and again been cut to pieces by the troops being transported in them over the Road, which often leaves freight in them exposed, after all possible energy has been exercised in making repairs. This causes much loss, not only of public but of private freights, for which the Road is held liable.
   To relieve the Road from these heavy losses, I propose that the Confederate officers be permitted to load and unload their own cars, under the inspection of officers of the Road, at the place of shipment, and that the government be permitted to send a guard upon each freight train, free of charge for transporting the guards, and that the Road shall not be liable for any losses which occur after the freights are placed upon the cars. I should be happy to know that the course which I propose to adopt in the above mentioned particulars meet the approval of the General Assembly.
   I again beg to call your attention to the imperative necessity which exists for a change of the law which authorizes an increase of fifty per cent. only upon the salaries and pay of officers and employees of the Road over the rates which existed when they were paid upon the gold basis. The officers and employees can not live at these rates, and I shall be unable to work the Road much longer if I am not permitted to increase their pay. They have to perform great labor and take heavy responsibilities, and I think it right that the freights be increased, and that they be paid reasonable compensation.
Joseph E. Brown

Home