| Salisbury, N. C., April 19th 1864 |
| |
| Major S. B. French |
| CS |
| Richmond VA |
| |
| Major, |
| I have now visited the several
Depots on the NCa Road from the Company Shops to Charlotte & from
Hickory Tavern to this place on the Western road
{Western North Carolina RR}, and given my best energies to effect
the prompt removal of accumulations of Comy Stores at Depots on these
lines. I returned last evening from the Hickory Tavern & proceed tonight
to Charlotte. |
| It is a hard matter for one to
control transportation here, and without perpetual vigilance private
freight will take precedence. With this, there is a heavy pr?? on both
roads. And conflicting demands are made by officers of the Government
which encourages the embarrassment. The Supt of the Western Road has
instructions to ship lumber first then Iron, & then Comy Stores. Mr
Sumner of the NCa road tells me his orders are first to transport corn.
I have however pressed upon the agents of both, the necessity of getting
forward supplies of subs & this week will enable Major Myers to get off
the bulk of his accumulations at the Depots, but the weather has
retarded his operations & the narrow limits of the small Depots will not
enable him to place but four or five car loads at a time, and his
facilities for waggon transportation are very limited. The same remark
applies to Major Todd who will send off to you this week some 20000 lbs
bacon & abt 200 bls flour. Major Todd has excellent arrangements for
slaughtering & packing bacon & beef, & no one understands their business
better. He has excellent coopers too, who are turning out most
substantial hogshead for his bacon. If grain could be shipped in tierces
made as these hogshead are instead of bat a great saving would in?? both
in transportation and the cost of material, as you may infer from the
fact that one Hhd costs less than $5 and a tierces should hold four
times as much as a bag. Would it not be well therefore to call this to
the notice of Major Todd, that he increase his force of coopers &
substitute tierces for bags as far as possible. |
| There will be little I
apprehend to detain me at Charlotte & shall proceed on with every
despatch to the Junction at Columbia & thence on to Augusta & Macon, and
shall be pleased to hear from you as I progress. |
| Very Respectfully |
| W H Smith |
| Major & CS |
|