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{From the minutes of the
Directors' Meeting of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac RR,
February 15, 1862} |
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| {The following document is found
inserted into the Board of Directors' meeting minutes. It was from a
convention held in Richmond February 5, 1862} |
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| Resolutions |
| Resolved, That in order to promote the
manufacture of Iron Rails and other Railroad supplies essential to the
maintenance of Railroads in the Confederate States, we hereby pledge
the Railroad Companies represented by us, and recommend to others in
the Confederate States to adopt the following measures: |
| 1st |
That to any person or persons who
shall first within ____ months from the first of January, 1862,
establish and put into successful operation a rolling mill,
capable of manufacturing not less that ____ tons of good Iron T
Rails per month, of a quality equal to those heretofore used by
our Companies, and who shall furnish such rails, subject to
inspection and rejection by an inspector mutually agreed on if
not of the required quality as aforesaid, and warranted to last
not less than ____ years, each of our said Companies will pledge
itself and contract with such person or persons, that it will
annually, during ____ years from the 1srt January, 1862,
purchase of such person or persons, to the extent that they can
supply them, such rails, for not less that one fifteenth of the
length of its railroad, paying for the same in old rails to the
extent of not less than one-half the number of tons of new rails
so purchased, and the residue in cash, at the rate of one ton of
new rails for two tons, or their market value in cash of the old
rails, or of ____ dollars per ton added to the market value of
the old rails for each ton of new rails, as the manufacturer may
elect. That should more than one such mill be put into
successful operation in any one State, within the time
specified, the Companies in that State will purchase of each
such mill, an equal portion of the quantities before mentioned
of such rails -- Provided, that no Company shall be under
any obligation to purchase at a more distant mill rails which it
can buy at a nearer one. |
| 2d |
That to any person or persons who
shall establish and put into successful operation within ____
month from the 1st of January, 1862, manufactories of any other
railroad supplies, the said Companies pledge themselves, and
will contract each with such person or persons, to purchase of
them annually during not less than ____ years, or during the
continuance of the existing war and blockade such supplies which
shall not be less in quantity, if of equal quality, than they
have each purchased during the year 1861, at a price exceeding
by not less than ____ per cent., nor more than ____ per cent.,
the manufacturers prices of such articles on the 1st day of
July, 1860. That after the termination of the existing war the
said Companies will purchase the said articles of the same
persons at prices which shall during ____ years from the 1st day
of January, 1862, be not less than 7 pr cent., nor more than
____ per cent. more than the aggregate market prices (including
all import duties and charges) of like articles then imported
into the Confederate States; should more than one manufactory of
any such railroad supplies (other than rails) be established
within the time above limited in the Confederate States, each
Company shall give preference 1st to any such manufactory first
established in the same State with such Company; and 2dly, to
the nearest such manufactory which shall be first established in
any other Confederate State. |
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3d |
That to any such person, persons or
corporations, who shall bona fide commence the manufacture or
the erection of buildings or machinery for the manufacture of
iron rails, or any other railroad supplies within the
Confederate States within ____ months from the 1st day of
January, 1862, who shall apply for such loans and shall for its
repayment or satisfaction tender to the Company or Companies
making it an adequate security or lien on property, the
Companies here represented, or hereafter uniting with them, will
advance in money or materials as provided in the foregoing
resolutions the amount of its desired purchases for, and during
not less than one nor more than two years from the date of such
advances, one-half of such advances to be payable on the tender
of such security, and the residue to be payable on the actual
bona fide commencement of such manufacture. |
| 4th |
That to maintain the supply to each
of our Companies of such articles as shall be necessary to them
before they can be manufactured here, and to procure those
materials for repairs and manufacture which cannot be procured
in the Confederate States, and are immediately needed -- the
Companies here represented, and others who may desire to unite
with us, will send to Europe a competent agent, furnished with
the necessary funds, who shall purchase for each Company such
articles as it may order, and supply the means of purchasing, at
such prices as such Agent may deem necessary to pay, to ensure
their early shipment to the Confederate States. |
| 5th |
That such Agent shall be appointed by
an Executive Committee selected from the Officers of the
Companies here represented, and now to be chosen by the meeting,
to whom he shall give bond with security to be approved of by
them for the due application under their instructions of the
funds to be placed in his hands, who shall for that purpose
receive from each of the said Companies the funds supplied for
their respective importations, and themselves give bonds to such
Company for their due application of the same, and who shall be
charged with the entire and confidential control and management
of such importations, of the proper distribution thereof, and of
all matters incident thereto; and that all such orders shall be
furnished to the said Committee within ____ days from the first
day of February, 1862. |
| 6th |
That the amount of purchases ordered
for each Company shall be equal to what they will need of such
supplies during the two years succeeding the 1st of January,
1862, and shall be not less than $100 per mile of the length of
its Road. |
| 7th |
That the prices to be paid by each
Company for the articles ordered by it shall be ascertained and
determined by the Executive Committee, by adding to the prices
first paid for them abroad by the said Agent, the expenses of
importation, including import duties (if required by the
Government) and not including in such expenses if importation
the proportion which each Company may be required to bear of any
loss which may be sustained by marine disasters or the public
enemies. Any loss by marine disaster or the public enemies, of
any of the articles purchased by any of the associated
Companies, shall be borne by all of the said Companies
respectively, in the proportion which the purchases so made for
each of the said Companies shall bear to the amount of all the
purchases made for all the said Companies. |
| 8th |
That such Agent shall receive for his
compensation a commission, to be determined by the Executive
Committee, and regulated by the extent of his purchases. |
| 9th |
That the Executive Committee be
authorized to employ a Clerk and Accountant to settle accounts
with the several Companies concerned. |
| 10th |
All articles imported or manufactured
under the foregoing Resolutions during the existing war, shall
be transported over the Railroads of the Companies here
represented for tolls, which shall not exceed the cost to them
of such transportation; provided the Companies for whom they are
transported shall agree to transport upon the same terms
articles designed for the Companies here represented. |
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